A NEW seating area and viewing platform has been officially opened in Okehampton.

Okehampton Rivers Improvement Group (ORIG) celebrated the completion of the picnic area and viewing platform at the confluence of the East and West Okement Rivers.

The group worked hard to tidy and open up the area to help make it a pleasant place for the public to enjoy the rivers.

Grants from the Lottery, West Devon Borough Council, Okehampton Town Council and Okehampton United Charities, including the hard work of members, enabled the task to be completed.

ORIG expressed thanks to Ross Campbell and Alan French, for their continuous hard work.

Thanks were also expressed to everyone who helped with the project and to Tom Hills and colleagues at Greenspace, for the viewing platform, seats and fencing work.

Special thanks went to Jenny Denison-Smith and Stephen Bolt, for their extra input on the day.

Member of ORIG Cllr Christine Marsh said: 'I'm just so pleased how it's turned out and also the standard of it.

'It's highly unusual to have the confluence in the middle of the town and there have been several people who live locally that weren't aware of it.

'It was a much neglected area, whereas now it's beautiful and the furniture is wonderful — the group have worked very hard.'

Passers-by can also enjoy a sculpture of a deer and its young, which can be found on the opposite side of the river bank.