A NEW fundraising group has been set up with the aim of returning a paddling park to a Swindon estate.

Lorna Breslin, a member of the newly-formed Sevenfields Splash Park Steering Group, said she planned to replace a former water attraction in Penhill which was gutted by fire nearly two decades ago.

The group has organised its first fundraising event – called the Penhill Funday – which will be held on Sunday, August 16.

The event will take place on the site of the old paddling pool, off Inglesham Road, near the bowls club, from 11am to 4pm.

Lorna said she hoped the fun day, which has been financed by a Swindon Council’s grass roots grant, would raise £1,000 towards the estimated £750,000 costs of the new structure.

Group members hope the new attraction will be in place by 2012.

They want it to sit at the site of the old structure, which along with its adjoining cafe was destroyed by fire in 1991.

Lorna, 43, said: “The original play park was one of the greatest assets this community had.

“Many people in Penhill and Pinehurst don’t have the money to go away on holiday, so they went to the pool.

“A lot of people have positive memories about that place. I bet if people knew what they were losing at the time they would have done more to save it.”

Lorna said she hoped the new facility would be used by people from outside of the immediate area.

She said: “We want to bring it back to the people of not only Penhill, but neighbouring communities.

“Other neighbourhoods have venues – West Swindon has the Link, North Star has the Oasis, and Dorcan has their own swimming pool. Now it is time for us to build ours again.

“The group plan to maintain the pool and we hope to hold many more events to raise cash, but we need more volunteers.

“The lack of this splash pool has had an effect on a lot of people. It used to be the place where mums, dads, kids, cousins, uncles all met up – but you don’t see that so much anymore.”

The formation of the new group is not the first time a proposal to build a new splash park has been launched.

Eighteen months ago the Penhill Water Play Park dissolved after working for months to bring a pool back to the area.

Members of the new group, which was created via social networking website Facebook, said the group’s new chairman Anthony Sturgess has re-energised members.

Anyone interested in finding out more, or volunteering for the group, has been asked to email Lorna on lornabreslin@hotmail.com or call her on 07500 062679.