A TOWN council has slated a housing association for breaking its promises to small children.

But Sovereign Housing says the town and district has let them down by not coming up with the cash.

When the Coles Close scheme in Sturminster Newton was built, Sovereign met with residents to plan a play area.

Three years down the line the final design has failed to come up to expectations.

Sovereign is proposing to install a play turtle, stepping stones, a springy snail for toddlers and a balancing beam with a safe surface underneath.

There is no sign of the concrete play tunnel, hopscotch and games area, picnic table and seat originally proposed.

Cllr Vic Fox said it was but "a pale imitation" of what was expected.

A spokesperson for Sovereign Housing said he was as disappointed as the council that the issue had not been resolved.

The original plan was based on a contribution of £10,000 which North Dorset District Council and the town had jointly offered.

This had materialised at only £3,500, he said.

"Sovereign has now agreed to fund about £14,000 including the fencing, asphalt kickabout and basketball areas already in place," he said.

But both councils deny £10,000 was ever offered. Adam Hunt for NDDC said he could find no evidence of any figure other than £2,500 ever being offered.

"In the year that offer was made we only had £20,000 to spend on play areas in the whole district and it would not make sense to spend half of that on one area," he said.

Town clerk Michael Fagg said the sums being bandied about were "absolute rubbish" - Sturminster had only promised £1,000.

"That's a lot for a town council," he said. "If they didn't get the grants they wanted it's up to them as the developer to put in a bit more."