MONEY raised from this year's Concert At The Kings has made it possible for new play equipment to be provided in All Cannings.

On Saturday the wooden obstacle course style equipment was officially opened and has already proved popular with village children.

The parish council was given £1.931 from the music concert held in a field at the back of the Kings Arms pub in May which allowed it to apply for a grant from Viridor Credits under the Landfill Communities Fund.

Viridor then awarded the village £19,317 to enable the scheme to go ahead on the village green.

Vice chairman Sylvia Butcher said: "If it had not been for the 10 per cent contribution from the Concert At The Kings this would not have been possible. We are very grateful for this money and to Viridor for its grant.

"We are also delighted that a team of volunteers worked very hard to remove the old play equipment which helped to keep the cost down. The play equipment is already proving to be very popular and I am sure it will be for many years to come.

"The new equipment can be used by a much wider age group as it is suitable for age three up to adult."

Traditional swings and a slide remain at the opposite end of the village green.

Since the first concert in 2012, Concert at the Kings has raised over £112,500 for cancer charities and the parish of All Cannings. Plans have already started for next year's Rock Against Cancer event which will be held on May 21 and tickets are already on sale.

Organisers were delighted to be told by folk rock group Lindisfarne who appeared this year that it will be giving all the proceeds from programme sales at its Christmas concert at Newcastle City Hall to Rock Against Cancer.

The 2015 concert, which also featured Squeeze and Sweet, raised a total of £42,500. Of this £10,000 went to good causes in the village, £13,500 to Above And Beyond, £13,500 to Macmillan Cancer Support and £5,500 to Hope For Tomorrow.