ACCESS improvements have been made at a recreation ground in Cleckheaton which allow people to walk around the entire park without getting soggy feet for the first time.

The Friends of Scholes Recreation Ground applied for just over £10,000 in funding through their Kirklees Council area committee. The scheme involved the perimeter path, as well as improvements to the entrance to the recreation ground from Old Popplewell Lane.

The idea has been to make the area more accessible and allow more people to enjoy the whole park. The main entrance path is a route through to the village school and despite being rough and often flooded was well used.

It is part of a wider project by the group to further improve the park.

Stuart Wider, of the Friends of group, said: "For many years the community has struggled to walk over the rough and often flooded path which is the main entrance to the rec and route through to the school.

"The Friends of Scholes Rec worked closely with local councillors to resolve the situation and a grant was awarded for the path to be improved,

"The new path will be a huge benefit to the whole Scholes community providing opportunities to enjoy the whole park with activities for young and old such as jogging, cycling and walking."

He added: "The path changes the whole dynamics of the recreation ground, turning it from a field to a park that residents can all enjoy. We hope that people will be able to enjoy the changes for many years to come."

Councillor Andrew Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said: "The path gives people the ability to walk all the way round the outside of the recreation ground which has been very waterlogged in parts.

"The improvements to the entrance at Old Popplewell Lane have also created a proper path with a soakaway instead of the old path which was often full of puddles.

"It's all part of a grand scheme by The Friends of Scholes Recreation Ground which we hope will come to fruition and involves improving the drainage and provide more play and exercise equipment on the site."

The group has also secured £39,000 of funding though a housing development to renovate the playground and install additional equipment, including a basket swing, an additional climbing unit, a chin-up bar, a see-saw, as well as additional landscaping.

This work is expected to start later this year. For more information on the group log on to facebook.com/scholesrec.