COUNCILLORS behind a Dymchurch playground which lost £50,000 funding in Government cuts have vowed to find alternative sponsors to get the project back on track.

The plans for the recreation ground in St Mary's Road suffered a major blow this week when Education Secretary Michael Gove froze grants to 132 councils for building and running up to 1,300 community playgrounds.

The cost-cutting initiative meant the budget for the Dymchurch playground was slashed from £70,000 to just £20,000 of ring-fenced money which can only be spent on special equipment for disabled children.

Carole Waters, Shepway District Council cabinet member for sport, said: "It's very disappointing that our money has been taken back.

"When we heard about the cutbacks we were very sad as this project would benefit a large proportion of the local community.

"We now plan to work really hard to try and find another way in which we can get some more cash."

Youngsters at the Dymchurch Children's Centre were consulted by designers earlier this year and helped decide what type of equipment and apparatus would be installed on the site.

Community involvement worker, Amanda Shead, said the children at the centre would be upset about the cuts.

She said: "We really wanted to see something done with the recreation ground.

"This was a worthwhile project that may never happen now."

The £50,000 which has been withdrawn from the playground was initially secured from Kent County Council's Playbuilder project.

The extra £20,000 was coming from the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme.

But Government ministers said the national Playbuilder project had inherited unrealistic spending commitments and had to be scrapped.

Dymchurch Parish Council chairman Terry Preston added: "Things are looking very tough right now.

"We had hoped this play scheme would tackle antisocial behaviour in the area, but now we face further problems in trying to find new sponsors.

"This is a big loss to the community."