A STREET party celebrated the official relaunch of a Widnes estate.

Estate residents living between Lugsdale Road and Brynn Street formed Streets Ahead five years ago to improve the area.

"People were fed up with it being run down and not in good order, that's what started it," said John McGuire, chairman of Streets Ahead.

People wanted safer streets for the kids to play and improved fencing.

Now trees have been planted on the narrow roads, raised plateaus have been installed at the junctions and a 20mph limit has been introduced. The area is called a Home Zone, partly inspired by a Dutch idea from the 1960s and partly by field trips to Leeds and Manchester.

John said: "We are very pleased because the children feel so much safer. It's been hard getting people to stick to the one way system but even the children are shouting at people going round the wrong way!"

In the future the group is hoping to do some landscaping on Oxford Street and also to inspire other groups to make a difference themselves

Streets Ahead hope other areas will take advantage of the information and experience they have to offer.

"Overall I think everybody is pleased with the way it has worked out because it has improved the area, not just for safety but it looks nicer," said John.

The improvements were funded by £650,000 from SRB, Neighbourhood Renewal and European money.