A group of Ashby students gave a ringing cheer of approval as they were among the first to try out new play equipment near their school.

Seven students from Ashby Hilltop Primary School visited Davidsons Homes' Ashby Gardens development off Burton Road, where they played on the newly-installed equipment in the park area created by the housebuilder.

Davidsons Homes wanted to make sure that local children would enjoy the new play area, so invited the students to test it out for themselves.

Nicola Middleton, a teacher from Ashby Hilltop Primary School, said: "A massive thank you to Davidsons Homes for inviting some of our students to the new play area that's been created.

"The children really enjoyed their visit and certainly approved of the equipment – I think they could quite happily have played there for hours!"

Stephanie King, Sales Director for Davidsons Homes East Midlands, said: "We just wanted to say thank you to the children and their teacher for visiting our site and giving their seal of approval on the new equipment – it's wonderful to know that children will enjoy playing at Ashby Gardens for many years to come!"

All the homes at Ashby Gardens have now been sold, but Davidsons Homes is building at its Grange View and Hastings Park developments in Hugglescote, near Coalville.

The move followed concerns from a local councillor that a play area had not been installed on the estate.

Last year, Cllr Avril Wilson's motion drew attention to the failure of Davidsons, the developer of the Holywell Spring Avenue estate, to comply with a planning condition requiring the children's play area and public open space landscaping to be installed before the first house in phase 2 was occupied.

At a Planning Committee meeting in 2022, the Conservative majority of Ashby Town Councillors voted down the motion.

Cllr Wilson, now the Town Mayor, had said that the first phase 2 house was occupied well over a year previously and yet the play area had not been installed, nor the landscaping begun.

However, Davidsons have now confirmed the new play area is now up and running.