Work has begun to create a water play park in Noble’s Park, Douglas.

Douglas Council is spending £188,000 on an ’interactive waterplay installation’ including 14 spray and soaker features.

It will be built in place of some of the park’s tennis courts and will cover 144 square metres.

Mayor Debbie Pitts climbed aboard an excavator to preside over the ground-breaking ceremony, accompanied by representatives from Midlands-based supplier Waterplay Solutions Ltd, fellow councillors and officials.

Regeneration and community committee chairman Stephen Pitts said: ’This will be an exciting and innovative play feature for Noble’s Park - a leisure amenity offering fun and discovery that’s accessible to all ages and abilities.’

This year will also see a new £195,000 skate park open.

’Together these two new attractions will draw visitors to Douglas from all over the island to Noble’s Park, maintained to such a high standard year-round thanks to the hard work of our parks service team,’ said Mr Pitts.

’These initiatives are also the latest demonstration by the council of our commitment to invest in the community, as set out in the corporate plan which pledges "to develop Douglas’s reputation as a destination and increase the range of tourism attractions".’