A Chiswick-based charity which supports disabled children and their parents is calling for a slice of a special budget to be spent on a new disabled play area.

Earlier this year Hounslow Council asked parents and carers of disabled children to help it decide how to spend the £1.5million allocated for improving short breaks for children.

Charity Parents in Touch (PiT), believes three-quarters of the money should be spent on building a playground which is accessible for disabled children in Hounslow.

Karen Adams, mother to a son who suffers from autism and also committee member of the PiT, told the Informer: "We are trying to persuade them that building an adventure playground would make a real difference by providing something tangible for the children to enjoy rather than shoring up existing provision as has happened in the past."

Last month two minibuses full of parents, disabled children and their siblings visited a special playground in Berkshire.

Karen said: "A large number of the other playground users were there on respite breaks for carers. Such was the positive feedback that members of PiT are wondering why there isn't such a facility in Hounslow."

Parents met on Monday evening to begin discussing how they would like to spend the £1.5m that the council will provide over three years, with the playground concept proving very popular.

Other ideas include improving the existing provision at the Reflections Unit, a multi-sensory project for disabled children and adults at Hounslow Urban farm in Feltham.

The spending will be closely monitored by national support body Together for Disabled Children and parents will meet again on September 23, this time with officers to talk through their ideas.

"Unless we put together a feasible plan, the funding won't come through," said Karen. "We have to meet deadlines and work together."

Parents and caregivers who wish to have their views represented can join PiT by sending an email to parentsintouch@btconnect.com or writing to: Parents in Touch, St Denys House, Church Street, Chiswick, W4 2PD.