The cash has been secured by the estate's tenants and residents association, who were one of seven winners of a 'community gift competition' run by Notts County Council.

It is part of the ambitious eight-year Building Better Communities (BBC) scheme that will see £39 million invested in making the county a better place to live and work.

A bench is seen as a fitting tribute to Mr Parkin, who died in February last year. He was in his mid-70s.

A dedicated fighter for improvements in the area, Mr Parkin played a key role in ridding the estate of bedsits which became plagued by vandals, arsonists and drug users.

Another suggested use of the cash is to buy bulbs, shrubs and planters to brighten up the estate and to involve children in the project.

A third idea is to keep the car park of George Street Club tidy and litter-free as a potential focal point for community events.

Members of the George Street Tenants and Residents Association were presented with their prize at a BAFTA-style award ceremony at Rufford Country Park.

They have also scooped £100 worth of high-street shopping vouchers through the competition.

Coun Stella Smedley (Lab), the county council's lead member for the environment, said: "The competition is 100% proof that community spirit is alive and prospering in Nottinghamshire.

"The council received hundreds of entries and it was a real challenge finding winners.

"We decided that good schemes and those that requires a much larger fund will be looked at in more detail with a view to including them in the mainstream BBC programme for future years."

The chairman of the county council, Coun Jon Allin (Lab), said: "This competition has received a very positive response from local people who have had the opportunity to have a direct input into funding for schemes in their neighbourhood.

"The BBC initiative is all about making a difference to the lives of local people by boosting community pride by improving the look and feel of their neighbourhood or simply by making it safer."