PLAY areas across Newport will get a £200,000 facelift in the coming months.

Newport council has invested the cash to overhaul Shaftesbury Park, Beechwood Park and the Roman Way play area.

Equipment had to be removed from a number of parks last year due to safety reasons, including the toddler-only area in Beechwood Park, which is one of the play areas being re-designed.

Dong Energy, which built the new power plant in Nash, will also pay for new equipment, including a mini trampoline and pendulum swing, in Nash Village but leave the council to maintain it - the figure for this equipment was not available as the Argus went to press.

Work on refurbishing the play areas in Shaftesbury and Beechwood Park, as well as Roman Way, is under way, with work on Nash due to start in April.

It will take around six weeks to finish.

Cabinet member for lifelong learning and leisure, Mike Hamilton, said: "Play areas contribute to the well-being of our children, especially as we want to encourage them to be active."