A campaigning team of mums and dads are taking the next step in their push to improve a children's play area - and are calling for votes to help make it happen.

Norwich Evening News: Youngsters from Winterton are supporting a bid for new play equipment in the village by featuring in a series of pictures and a promotional video. Pictures: James RouseYoungsters from Winterton are supporting a bid for new play equipment in the village by featuring in a series of pictures and a promotional video. Pictures: James Rouse (Image: JamesRouse Photography)

The Winterton Smilers group has been fundraising for the last 18 months to overhaul the equipment in the village play area, which has become outdated and dilapidated.

So far they have raised a whopping £15,000 which will be used to upgrade the apparatus for school age children, and that is hoped to be installed next month.

They are now bidding for a five-figure sum to kick-start the second phase of the project: to install new equipment for youngsters aged between two and six, and are calling on people from across the borough to support them.

They have applied for £10,000 from Aviva's community fund but to get to the next stage of the bid they need the public to vote for the scheme.

Norwich Evening News: Youngsters from Winterton are supporting a bid for new play equipment in the village by featuring in a series of pictures and a promotional video. Pictures: James RouseYoungsters from Winterton are supporting a bid for new play equipment in the village by featuring in a series of pictures and a promotional video. Pictures: James Rouse (Image: JamesRouse Photography)

Emma Punchard, who has helped lead the campaign, said: 'We want to make sure there's enough for the youngsters to do and we're just trying to push and get as many people engaged as possible.'

The mum-of-two moved to the village with her family from Bristol where her daughters Hannah, five, and Eva, three, had access to great play areas.

When she saw the sorry state of Winterton's she helped strike up the action group and the volunteer team has since been running various fundraisers to get the ball rolling. The coffers have been boosted with a £3,000 donation from the parish council but there is still work to go to complete their dream play area.

Emma, 39, said: 'People have been incredibly generous, individuals in Winterton have given us money we weren't expecting.

'I think people think rural kids are happy running through fields of corn but the reality is they're being driven from A to B. I don't see why kids in these areas deserve any less than those in the middle of the city.'

As part of their bid to Aviva the team have submitted a series of pictures and a video of youngsters from the village.

The photos were taken by professional photographer James Rouse, who grew up in Winterton and whose grandfather campaigned for the original play area to be installed, while the video was put together with help from a local mum.

The Aviva application was also submitted on behalf of the group by another former resident who grew up in the village and has a background in financial services.

Emma, who owns and runs Mill Farm Eco Barn in the village, added: 'It's a real community effort. And it's lovely that people who used to be in Winterton have come to the aid of the kids that are here now.'

To get to the second stage of the Aviva application, where their bid will then be judged by a panel, the group must get as many votes as possible. To support their bid visit www.community-fund.aviva.co.uk/cms/ and search for Winterton Smilers. You must then register before voting.

To keep up to date with the team's progress search for Winterton on sea children's play ground campaign on Facebook.