COMMUNITY leaders in Roadwater have launched an appeal for people to pick up their phones to help secure vital funding for new play equipment.

The village has a chance of winning a £5,000 community award from The Engage Foundation to buy a 'solar spinner' for its recreation ground.

However, it is one of 149 projects bidding for cash - and only seven will be successful.

And community support will be the deciding factor in who receives the funding.

So the village is appealing for as many people as possible to vote for the Roadwater scheme before the deadline of November 17.

Residents Debbie McKenna and Mary Coles, who put the bid together, said the benefits of the new equipment to the community would be enormous.

"The addition will enhance an already popular meeting place and provide children with a more varied play area," they said.

"Hopefully, this will encourage parents from all over West Somerset to bring their children out to the park more often.

"This not only encourages physical activity but can reduce social isolation which can be an issue in rural areas."

Villagers have been fundraising hard for the past few years to bring in the money needed to upgrade the play equipment.

"The support from the village and the wider community of West Somerset has been fantastic but now we are asking for just five minutes of people's time to continue that support by registering a vote," said Debbie and Mary.

Votes can be lodged at http://www.engagement.com/">www.engagement.com/ foundation and clicking on the Roadwater Community Solar Spinner, which comes under the categories of South West, Families and Projects under £5,000.