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Created: 13 November 2024

A thrilling new fun zone for children is officially opened by Erewash council’s young deputy mayor – who wore his chain of office as he insisted on sliding down its giant corkscrew tube.

Cllr Harry Atkinson jokingly added a twist as he was invited to cut the ribbon in Long Eaton – saying: “As long as I can have a go.”

He clambered up the nine-metre tower to test the slide as he was cheered on by children from the local Grange Primary School, who attended the opening ceremony in the town’s West Park.

Harry – who became the borough’s youngest-ever deputy mayor when he was appointed at the age of 24 – said after sliding down the snaking tube: “It was great fun.” 

The £400,000 play mecca has taken six months to build – after the council clinched Shared Prosperity Fund money from the government.

The authority came up with two competing designs for the attraction – and local people got to vote for their favourite.

The deputy mayor said: “We’ve got something absolutely amazing.” Cllr Josy Hare, who is the council’s Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“We are also about to officially open a new £450,000 all-weather sports pitch in Ilkeston. It brings the amount that the borough is investing in sport and leisure to more than £4million.

“The vast majority of this is from government and other funding – meaning it is not from council tax.”

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