The Fair Play Barnet playground in north London is being described as the first of its kind in the UK. The playground costs £500,000 with 20% of the funding coming from the local council. The remaining 80% was raised through a group of independent funders.

Deborah Gundle, whose son is disabled, led the campaign to create the playground.

"What we're trying to do with this playground is showcase a model so that all councils and public landscape developers across Britain can see how to design a playground for accessibility," Ms Gundle said.

Research from the UK charity SCOPE revealed:

• Half of families with disabled children say their local playground isn't accessible.
• One in ten said their disabled child hurt themselves because of inaccessible equipment.
• Almost one in seven (13%) could not enjoy the playground as a family because siblings were unable to play together.

SCOPE spokesman Warren Kirwan says the government must deliver on their commitment to building more playgrounds that all children can enjoy.

"Every playground in Britain should be accessible for the whole family to use. Children learn and develop through play, and that should be there for disabled children as well," he said.

Ensuring everyone has access to playgrounds helps to create a more inclusive and accepting society. Young children don't see disabilities in the same way adults do, ensuring that children can all play together helps to drive a longer-term inclusive society benefiting everyone.