YOUNGSTERS in a Hampshire village are being invited to help decide how to spend thousands of pounds.

Wickham Parish Council plans to spend £80,000 improving community play facilities - revamping the village recreation ground, building a play area at The Circle and adding to the facilities at the community centre in Mill Lane - and is inviting local children to attend a consultation on Saturday.

Council clerk Nicki Oliver said: "The money has come from Open Space Funds, which means developers are paying and not residents.

"We have identified the three areas and have three or four exciting designs for youngsters to choose from.

"Some of the facilities we have at the moment are pretty archaic and shabby and we want to offer the children the best play areas we can."

Chairman of the council's recreation committee, Sue Roger-Jones, said: "We are looking at facilities for the very young, right up to teenagers. The council has this money and if we don't use it we could lose it, so we just want to have some fun."

Everyone is invited to give their opinions at the exhibition, which is being held in the community centre, Mill Lane, at 10am.