Youngsters have designed and built a new play structure at Homerton Grove Adventure Playground and nicknamed it ‘Netageddon’.

They were helped by the charity Build Up, which runs free construction projects across London for young people.

The children worked hard on dark evenings after school to construct the play equipment which includes a low and high scrambling net, swings, and a hammock.

One of them, Archie, 10, found that lifting heavy poles had given him confidence, and he now knows that "if you have a group of people you can face any obstacle".

Fern, 16, said it had taught the group how to work properly as a team. "It's not that we weren't a team before and we weren't close before," she said. "I think it's just this really brought us together."

Mayor of Hackney Phil Glanville joined the young people to cut the ribbon and present them with certificates of achievement.

He said: "'There are lots of things that council does that are really important, keeping children safe, providing good schools and youth centres. But actually, if you don't have the opportunities to grow up and feel your neighbourhood is somewhere where you can play, explore, have adventures, meet your friends, and feel a sense of ownership of where you live, then to me that's all for naught and Hackney ceases to be a special place.

"So adventure playgrounds and then expanding play out into our neighbourhoods is something that we want to do as part of our Child Friendly borough work. And what I'm really pleased about is the movement that Build Up, Hackney Play and some of the people in our community have started, that is now getting the Mayor of London's attention."