YOUNGSTERS in Walkhampton will soon be flying over dirt jumps and shooting baskets in the village play park, thanks to the fundraising efforts of two local boys.

James Toop and Tom Clutterbuck are the youngest people ever successfully to apply for a Tarka Country Millennium Award, which helped pay for a BMX jump area and basketball hoop.

Helped by Kay Miall, Tom?s grandmother, the boys applied for the award, based on the grounds there were so few recreation facilities for young people in the rural village.

The application was approved unanimously and £4,880 was granted for the labour and materials for the project.

Kate Deaves, team co-ordinator for the Tarka Country Millennium Awards, said: ?Tom and James are among our youngest award winners and they have shown what can be achieved by communities working together.

?We hope young people in this area will have many years of enjoyment from the dirt jumps and basketball hoop.

?The awards are mainly funded with money from the Lottery through the Millennium Commission and it is good to see a local project benefiting.?

The BMX jumps and basketball hoop are part of the Walkhampton Community Play Park, a new area within the field where Walkhampton Memorial Hall is situated. The hard-working play park committee received almost £3,000 worth of Lottery funding earlier this year to establish a toddler area within the park.

Committee chairman Pam Kitchin said the toddlers? equipment has now been installed in the park and passed by ROSPA ? fencing was due to be erected this week.

A grand opening ceremony is being held on Easter Saturday, April 10, which will be combined with an Easter egg hunt and decorated Easter bonnet competition. The park will be officially opened at 2pm by George and Dorothy Eggins of Walkhampton ? all are welcome.