Two new play areas, which have been created to cater for an increasing number of children visiting and living within London's Square Mile, have been unveiled by the City of London Corporation.

The facilities - at Tower Hill Garden and Portsoken Street Garden - are among the first freely accessible play areas within the Square Mile, with existing sites located at schools, nurseries and housing estates. Funding was provided by the central government with additional support from the City of London Corporation, which hopes the sites will provide children with "innovative" play opportunities.

Janet Owen, chair of the City's open spaces committee, said: "The playgrounds provide the children of the Square Mile and all those who visit us with innovative, natural playgrounds. "The areas are complimented by imaginative planting schemes which echo the idea of energetic play drawn by the children during the consultation exercises."