A new soft play facility inside a Stoke-on-Trent market has opened to the public today.

The play area at Hanley Market features a range of equipment including a slide, climbing frames, puzzles and a seating area and will be supported by a programme of activities and

The new play area used £50,000 of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is a part of the city council's Family Matters programme with families able to access to advice and drop in support on a range of topics such as finance, nursery funding and school readiness.

Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children's services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "We're excited to open this new soft play facility at Hanley Market. It will be a great space for children to enjoy, and it's part of our work to support families and bring more visitors to the city centre.

"The new soft play area will provide a vital resource for local families, offering both a fun space for children and practical support. This is also part of wider plans to revitalise Hanley Market, supporting our local traders."

Stoke-on-Trent council say the soft play area is only the beginning of a wider scheme that will see the creation of Stoke-on-Trent's newest Family Hub at the market.

Councillor Lynn Watkins, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: "This soft play area will be a valuable resource for families, offering children a place to have fun and develop important skills. We're proud to offer this new facility as part of our wider support for families in the city."