Young people, children and adults are already having fun and starting their New Year exercise resolutions on an array of new fitness machines in Bere Alston.

Following a survey of adults and children, members of Bere Ferrers Parish Council have succeeded in improving activity opportunities at the Down Recreation Field and Sarah Park play area.

Five pieces of outdoor fitness equipment have been installed which are already proving popular, while at the Sarah Park play area, a climbing traverse wall has been built.

A parish council spokesman said: “The large-scale refurbishment included council staff replacing all the path and fitness/equipment areas wooden edging and taking delivery of eight tonnes of rubber floor chippings to ensure a soft safe surface in case of falls.”

The mammoth task of spreading the rubber was carried out by parish councillors, relatives and friends.

Cllr Dave Pengelly spent many hours sourcing two grants from the National Lottery and the Bere Alston Recreations Parks to pay for these schemes and the council is grateful for his work.

Meanwhile, negotiations by the parish council over the past 12 months have resulted in a new bus shelter being built on Station Road in Bere Alston to replace the 35-year-old bus stop which was deteriorating badly.

Devon County Council funded the new shelter from a Government programme.

This is the third shelter which the parish council has obtained in the past three years, all funded by the county council.