A new £40,000 free-running park has opened in Eyres Monsell, Leicester, which has been funded through the Youth Opportunities Fund following a successful bid by Leicester Parkour.

Built on existing recreation ground at Hillsborough Road, the facility is one of the first to be developed outside London and was officially unveiled by the local authority on 24 July. Leicester Parkour - a group of teenage free-runners - was established in 2007 with the help of Magpie Youth Club, which also supported the bid for funding towards the new park.

Magpie Youth Club senior youth support worker Rachel Fletcher said: "The new park is everything that the group set out to achieve over the past year. They worked hard to consult with local residents and have gained tremendous backing in the community for the project." Vi Dempster, cabinet member for children and schools at Leicester City Council, added: "This park is a great example of what can be achieved when young people and youth services come to together to channel energy into an ambitious community project."