SAND, palm trees and donkey rides – it can only be the Costa del Salford.

For one afternoon only, Spain and Greece had a rival as council chiefs created a poolside paradise for children and their parents as a school holiday treat.

And they did it with 14 tonnes of sand shipped in from... Wolverhampton.

Hundreds gathered to make sand castles, ride the donkeys and watch Punch and Judy shows at the man-made beach in Albert Park, Broughton.

Authentic deckchairs were even brought down from Blackpool for the day.

The sun struggled to shine, but at least the rain stayed away as the children enjoyed the paddling pool while their mums and dads relaxed.

Christine Barker, 42, a mum from Winton, said: "The beach is absolutely fantastic. The beach is in front of us and they’ve got palm trees, which is nice.

"There’s plenty for the kids to do. If you can’t go on holiday, this is a good option. It’s absolutely fantastic."

The beach was created by Salford City Council’s park rangers and GRUMPY – the Greater Manchester Play Resources Unit – to celebrate national Playday by encouraging children to get out and play.

The sand was supplied by a quarry in Wolverhampton at a cost of £410 and was specially chosen because it’s safe for children to play in.

Children also played on a bouncy castle, had their faces painted and tried space-hopper football. A group of musicians entertained the crowds.

One youth failed to spoil the fun when he fired a pellet gun at the Punch and Judy man.

Gemma Matthews, 29, from Lower Broughton, who was at the beach with her daughter Emily Matthews, two, said: "I think it’s a great idea. You don’t usually expect to see a beach in Salford."

The beach was an idea of Salford park ranger Billy Masters, 19, and the sand will be re-used in parks and allotments in the city.

Dave Suggett, Salford’s senior ranger, said: "It’s been fantastic. There’s been a hell of a lot of people here, which is just what we wanted. The rain’s stayed away and it’s gone really well."

Councillor Keith Mann, Salford City Council’s lead member for the environment, said: "We’ve never done anything like this before and it’s nice to be able to put on something a bit different for people of all ages to enjoy this summer."

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