IT MAY have won the accolade of being among the country’s top ten and found itself with an unbroken string of Green Flag awards, but Elsecar park is undergoing another round of transformation to help ensure visitors keep turning up.

Its ageing public toilet block is to be given a makeover which will bring its outdated facilities up to modern standards, and the volley ball pitch, which had instead been used as an impromptu sandpit, has been transformed.

At the bottom end of the park, the old paddling pool area has also being reworked to provide a cycle track area for the youngest cyclists.

Hoyland Milton Coun Tim Shepherd said money for the improvement work was coming from several sources, including a grant obtained from a contractor working on the redevelopment of Barnsley town centre.

In the longer term, there are plans to alter the entrance to the park which could be taken closer to the car park on the opposite side of Wentworth Road.

The park’s friends’ group was formed several years ago and its members have worked to improve the park by working alongside council staff to keep beds tidy and well planted.

Its latest event takes place on Sunday, when a one mile walk through the park and adjoining nature reserve will take place.