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It is pouring with rain but that doesn't stop more than two dozen parents and children from coming out to talk about their plans for a new playground for the Norfolk seaside town of Mundesley.

As the children play, the parents produce drawings and plans that show new equipment and rides planned for the site in Gold Park.

"This was a huge deal for Mundesley," says Wendy Fredericks, one of the parents. "There isn't much for young people here. The existing playground is for very young children, we wanted to put in things for older ones, to get them outside and away from their Nintendos. There's also no disabled access at the moment"

The parents were promised £47,000 under the Playbuilder scheme, a project set up by Labour to improve hundreds of playgrounds across the country. But the says the funding has been reviewed because the coalition had inherited 'unrealistic spending commitments'

"Play is important for children and families - but investment has got to be realistic and affordable," says a spokesman.

Mrs Fredericks accepts that times are hard but she still feels this is a very cruel decision.

"It had the fantastic effect of bringing the community together. We went into the schools and asked the children what they wanted to see and they helped design the new playground. I was able to go into the schools just before the summer and say 'look kids - we've got the money' and they were ecstatic. Now I've got to back in and say 'sorry it's been taken away'.

"If we hadn't been given the money we would have still tried to do this, but it was and then it was taken away from us. It makes you feel quite empty and forgotten as a community".

The parents of Mundelsey, though, won't give up. They've already raised £13,000 and they're scaling the project down.

They know it will take longer to achieve their dream but they're determined to do it - without government help.

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