A dramatic U-turn means unpopular plans to install teenage play equipment have been halted.

In a meeting lasting just five minutes, town councillors voted to back a motion not to continue with the plans.

The council wanted to rip out existing play equipment for young children at Joel Park off Holt Lane and replace it with extreme equipment for teens, including swings and complex rope systems.

However, the site had been criticised for its unsuitability, with land behind Morrisons in Woosehill proving a much more popular base.

The town council’s amenities committee held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, September 2, after councillors and the public reached deadlock at the last meeting in July.

Former councillor Linda Barnes, who was one of the strongest backers for the new park, resigned from the town council over the summer.

- Why deny teenagers a chance to be part of the community by not making the park more adequate to their needs? Click the link below to comment.