Play equipment is set to be installed in a village as part of a project to improve facilities around the community hall.

The final phase of installing the equipment outside Ridgewell Village Hall, off Drury Lane, will take place in the coming months after grants were received courtesy of the Essex County Council Community Initiative Fund and Tesco.

The new play equipment will include baby swings, a merry-go-round and nature trail.

Once installed, this will complete the play equipment element of the project after four other pieces were installed in 2016.

Suzy Clarke, one of a number of volunteers overseeing improvements, said: “We are thrilled to be able to put the final phase of play equipment in.

“We have already seen such an increase in the number of people using the equipment and everyone’s staying for longer because the children have so much more to do.”

Isabel Mackay-Yau, who is also helping to run the project, added: “Completing the play equipment strand means we can concentrate our efforts on raising funds for the multi-use games area and the remainder of the funds for the village hall project.

“We are grateful for the support from residents at fundraising events and to grant providers without whom this would not be happening.”

So far £500,000 has been raised with £400,000 coming courtesy of The Big Lottery grant.

The project was set up in 2010 due to the need to replace the asbestos roof.

Further plans are also in place to make the hall more environmentally friendly by changing the heating system.

It is also hoped the surrounding area will be landscaped.