A 25-year-old mystery of a missing statue could be solved in the next few weeks when a North-East lake gives up its secrets.

Nobody knows what happened to a brass statue of a steam plough, erected in South Park, Darlington, in honour of its inventor, John Fowler, who was born in the town.

It was donated to the park in 1881 by local industrialist Henry Pease, but disappeared in 1979.

Rumour has it that it was too heavy for the thieves and they dumped it in the lake.

Work to drain the lake began yesterday and park ranger Paul Place hopes the riddle will finally be solved.

He said: "It has not been drained for a long time, so who knows what may turn up?

"We know there is a wedding ring in there because a few years ago a couple were having an a tiff and the woman threw it in the lake.

"The lake will reveal its secrets when the water level drops."

The switching on of the pump is the start of the second phase of a £3.9m Heritage Lottery funded project, which will see the transformation of one of the region's best-loved parks.

More than 100,000 gallons of water will be pumped out of the lake into a sewer every day for the next few weeks before the lake is de-silted and rebuilt.

The Environment Agency will remove fish to a safe location while the work is being done.

Other wildlife will be relocated to the nearby River Skerne.

Councillor Lee Vasey, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for leisure services, set the work under way.

She said: "The next 13 months will see the transformation of what is already a wonderful open space into something that will be a real treasure for the people of Darlington and the region as a whole. South Park will offer something for everyone."

Dead and diseased trees have been removed to make way for a replanting scheme, while all railings and gates have been restored and most re-fitted.

New handcrafted gates for the main entrance are expected to be installed next month.