Gio wrote:

A sand pit is an ideal thing to have though and I am glad we installed one
on the opposite side of the garden.

We had a sandpit for our kids when they were young but eventually gave
up on it because every single bloody time we forgot to put the lid on
when it was unattended (or if the kids lugged it off without us knowing)
every cat in the neigbourhood made a bee-line for it. Of course, they
kindly buried their offerings neatly below the surface, so they wouldn't
be found until the kids started digging.

Didn't really like the kids playing in what was no more than a giant
litter tray... :-( Don't know what the solution is unless you have a
guaranteed cat-free garden - if the OP doesn't, then it's maybe a factor
to consider before taking the plunge.

David