The new playground in a popular kids' park in Malvern has finally opened.

The new play area in Priory Park has been a long time in the works, with months of work going into bringing it to life.

The new park includes hobbit holes, rope bridges and a host of exciting things to do.

It finally opened to the public this week, with families and children seen enjoying it in the hundreds on Good Friday.

We are taking a look back at how the work progressed:

November 2020

Malvern Hills District Council announces work is set to begin on the new playground, costing £500,000.

This follows a number of years of consultation with parents saying the existing park was too small and not fit for purpose.

Malvern Gazette: DESIGN: How planners showed the new parkDESIGN: How planners showed the new park

February 2022

Work on the new play park officially begins with Avery Landscapes putting up fences around the building site.

The main bulk of the material for the new play area is delivered, with work beginning that month.

The council said the work was being done after a number of consultations, with eco-friendly materials being used throughout.

Malvern Gazette: CLOSED: Priory Park, Malvern, February 2022CLOSED: Priory Park, Malvern, February 2022

March 2022

MHDC issues a progress update as the new play area starts to take shape.

By March, most of the main structural work had been done, with the rest largely comprising of finishing touches and a clean-up.

Cllr Peter Whatley, overseeing the project, said at the time it was still on course to re-open in April as expected.

Malvern Gazette: WORK: The new play area while nearly ready to goWORK: The new play area while nearly ready to go

April 2022

With the long wait finally over, families flock to Priory Park on Good Friday to experience it for the first time.

The new play area has already been a hit, with hundreds visiting on its first two days in operation.

Malvern Gazette: