Council chiefs have pulled the long-awaited scheme for Gorsey Bank in Wirksworth, leaving residents furious.

As the summer holidays kicked off this week Derbyshire County Council announced the funding had been withdrawn due to government spending cuts.

Wirksworth mayor and Gorsey Bank resident Andy Pollock said: "It is just devastating news.

"A big part of bringing Gorsey Bank together as a community was the development of the recreation ground.

"We feel as though this community, that really needed a provision like this, have had the rug pulled from under their feet.

"Gorsey Bank is crying out for some investment."

The funding was awarded to the council via the Playbuilder scheme, which has seen new parks built in Darley Dale and Ashbourne, but the money has been put on ice while the Department for Education reassesses its bank balance.

Resident John Colebourne said he was disappointed by the news.

He added: "I supported the project and my grandchildren would have used it. It was definitely needed as there are a lot of young families in Gorsey Bank."

The town council pledged £14,000 towards the scheme and last year the town's youngsters chose equipment for the planned play area.

Cllr Irene Ratcliffe said she would be appealing to the county and district councils to come up with the funding.

She added: "I really feel for the residents as they have been promised something and have given their time to help bring this together and now it has been taken away from them.

"We are really angry about it, we don't like our children being let down in this way."

A county council spokesman said: "District councils have managed schemes locally and 14 new Playbuilder sites have opened over the last year to be enjoyed by children across the county.

"However, the Government has removed funding from schemes where work has not already started as part of its measures to tackle the national financial deficit."

"This means funding for the Wirksworth scheme is no longer available."