A VIRTUAL group has been created to generate ideas for a new village recreation area.

Kelsall Parish Council has set up a group on social networking website Facebook for ideas and suggestions on what to do with 4.7 acres of recreation land it has bought next to the Morris Dancer pub.

Parish clerk Natalie Read said: “We talked about how to communicate with teenagers about the land and Facebook seemed a good way to reach them.

“We don’t want to second- guess what they want from the land – this is their opportunity to make their ideas known without having to go to meetings.

“I am very willing to pass on any ideas from Facebook at the committee meetings, so all they have to do is write a couple of lines about what they want.”

The group has clocked up eight members in its first few weeks and the council is hoping heated debates on the best use for the land will follow soon.

The recreation land committee – fronted by Cllr Ian Lowden – has now met several times and seen a number of community members volunteer to help develop ideas for the land.

A group of volunteers cut back overgrowth that previously covered the land and arrangements have been made to cut the grass.

Cllr Lowden told a Kelsall Parish Council meeting he hopes to involve children and teenagers in all stages of the development process to give them a sense of pride and ownership over the land.

He said: “We hope we can build a culture of respect with the teenagers and their parents right from the beginning - I think that can go a long way to ensure the land and equipment is protected from damage.”

Cllr Lowden says the Kelsall Brownies, mother and toddler’s group and primary school have already raised hundreds of pounds towards the target of £200,000 for play facilities.

Other fundraising events are being planned, including a summer fair, and grants will make up the remainder of the funding.

Cllr Lowden added: “We are very pleased that the community is supporting the venture.

“If anyone has any fundraising ideas or wants to help, they are very welcome to join us.”