YOUNGSTERS can finally look forward to the playground of their dreams after the Family and Friends of Sandgate School reached their ambitious play appeal target.

The Kendal special school will soon be able to wave goodbye to its crumbling tarmac playground thanks to two major donations which have put the cherry on the cake of two years of tireless fund-raising.

Cumbria education bosses have awarded £60,000 which doubles the total raised so far by the efforts of the Family and Friends, an independent charity mostly made up of parents.

And The Westmorland Gazette's American parent company, media giant Gannett, has given £5,000 from its charitable foundation.

Last year the Gazette launched its Let the Children Play appeal to buy an inspiring £30,000 Playmaker feature for the new playground,and readers generously gave more than £ 8,000.

The latest grants mean that the Family and Friends can now afford to buy the Playmaker and the rest of the specialist play equipment for children of all abilities - and get it all installed during the summer holidays, ready for Sandgate's 50 or so pupils to enjoy in September.

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