It might not be on the same scale as Ayers Rock in Australia or the Rock of Gibraltar, but the new 'Tasburgh Rock' has already become a popular landmark in the village.

The 2.8 metre challenging climbing boulder is part of a new play area in Tasburgh which opened today. Villagers handed out sticks of 'Tasburgh Rock' to celebrate, as it has been a rollercoaster ride for the group behind the playground to get it built.

Recreation for All, a group of Tasburgh Village Hall users who have led the campaign, was awarded �47,000 last year in the Labour government's Playbuilder scheme to create a new area for children aged eight to 13.

But just a day before they were due to place their equipment order, the group was told the heartbreaking news that the funding had been put on hold in the run-up to the new coalition government's spending review and the project was shelved along with 11 others in Norfolk.

However, in November their plans were reinvigorated when the government released �337,000 to Norfolk County Council to distribute among the affected playground projects leaving Recreation for All with �27,500 of its originally allotted money.

Tony Young, of Recreation for All, said: 'There was a point we thought we weren't going to get anything and it would have taken us a long time to raise �27,000, so we were looking at years before we would get a new play area.

'This is a day we thought we would never see.'

The group is now planning to raise �20,000 to provide some equipment for younger children.

It will shortly launch into a series of fundraising events, including the return of the Tasburgh Festival on June 4, which will involve a day of live music and family entertainment.