PUPILS at a South Woodford school now have the ideal excuse for monkeying around a brand new set of playground equipment.

Nightingale Junior School in Ashbourne Avenue has been boosted by a brand new play area in the lower juniors' playground packed with plenty of climbing apparatus, along with picnic benches and slide.

Delighted secretary of the Parents and Teachers Association, Deborah Rosen said: "The play equipment consists of two towers on either end connected by a flexible walking bridge with hand rails either side.

"There is also a climbing rope and a small climbing wall on the other side to give the children access to the top and they can come down the slide into the playground. We also have a balance beam and stepping stones around the equipment.

"The children are absolutely loving it. When they have the chance to get on it! It seems to have become a great rain-maker as it has brought all the rain with it. The children have managed to get on it a few times, though."

Mrs Rosen, who is the mother of two pupils at the school, said that the equipment had been funded through a number of money-spinning activities staged by the school throughout last year.

She added: "We installed a boat and a train up in the infant playground last year and now we are working our way around all of the playground, reviewing the markings and installing things to help the children play."