KEY WORKER children in Southampton can take advantage of free rides at one of the city's most popular fairgrounds every week until the end of the summer holidays.

The Pleasure Park in Southampton, which has been providing entertainment for children for more than four decades, is offering three free rides on any of the park's attractions every Thursday until the end of the summer holidays for all key worker children.

Fred Salter, 53, who owns and runs the park with his brother, has said that the park is all about the community and this offer was a way of "giving back".

He said: "This is just a way that we want to thank our key workers who have helped us get through this crisis, I just thought it would be a really nice thing to do, and it gives the kids something to look forward to too.

"The Pleasure Park is such a community based fairground, we had a fire a few years back and the whole community rallied round us and we gave out so many free rides then. We always try to give back, it's always been a family-run business and it's always great to give a little back.

"Because there is no real way to check if a child's parents are key workers, we are just going to have to trust that people tell the truth and we're hoping people stick to this."

The Pleasure Park is open seven days a week from 10.30am until 5pm and it is located at The Sports Centre, 1 Golf Course Road, Bassett, Southampton.