NEW play equipment has been officially unveiled at a special school in Poole.

Winchelsea Special School, Guernsey Road, held a ceremony after a number of local organisations and individuals helped raise funds for the outdoor exercise equipment.

Esther Sample, of the school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) told the Daily Echo: "It was a perfect day and we had four different lot of funds raised towards opening this outdoor gym.

"It is similar to the type of equipment you see in some of Poole's parks, and it will be used for occupational therapy.

"We are so grateful for everyone who has helped with this."

The Rotary Club of Poole, as part of a two-year project, donated £1,550 towards the equipment.

Last year the family and friends of Bournemouth man, Nick Hughes, who died of a heart attack aged 29, donated £816 after getting a team together to run the Bournemouth Half Marathon in Nick's memory.

Meanwhile, Keith Powell, Sara Powell, Lisa Penney, Andy Nichols and Ben Jones, from Poole Labour Club, raised £3,000 after completing a 10,000ft skydive.

And Parent Andrew Sample, whose son Josef (CORRECT) attends Winchelsea, ran the full length of the Pennine Way - some 268 miles - to raise £1,134 for the project.

Winchelsea School head teacher Geoff Cherrill said: "I'd like to thank everyone involved in raising funds for the school - the individual parents, the Friends of Winchelsea and the PTA. It has been a great effort."

Earlier this year Borough of Poole approved a £1.2million cash boost for Winchelsea, after hearing the school was in desperate need of refurbishment.

The school hopes to use these funds to build a new reception area and staff room, upgrade the boilers and heating, and introduce new lighting to the refurbished areas.

The school caters for 104 pupils with moderate or severe learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, and speech and language needs.