SOME of Ilminster's play equipment is set to be out of action this weekend as the town council looks to give it a new lease of life.

Equipment in the Wharf Lane recreation ground will be painted by a community payback team, and so will not be available for play.

Michelle Gunn, the chairman of the open spaces committee, said: β€œIn the longer term the town council will be installing new play equipment, the first phase of which is planned to take place by this autumn.

"It is well recognised that the current equipment looks tired, so the painting has been arranged as a short-term measure to make the play area look brighter and more interesting. We are sorry for the inconvenience of the equipment not being available for the short time whilst the painting is done and it dries.”

The council has previously worked with community payback to refurbish the swings at West Crescent and also on various tasks at the cemetery unearthing the kerbed grave plots, cleaning headstones and generally clearing some of the overgrown borders.

Community Payback is where offenders work on projects to pay back the community for their crimes.

The work must:

  • benefit the local community
  • not take paid work away from others
  • not make a profit for anyone