THE people behind a £3.9m revamp of Darlington's South Park said it was set to be a thriving tourist spot in the years to come.

Work to restore the park to its former Victorian glory will start later this month and council bosses are confident of making the job a huge success.

The first phase begins on Monday when environmental experts will carry out assessments on each of the park's 1,200 trees. Dead or diseased trees will be rep*aced.

Darlington Borough Council's assistant director of environmental services Terry Collins said: "South Park is the oldest public park in Darlington, so this is a major project for the town and will bring a lot of people here. It is going to be a tremendous amenity.

"It is not just for the people of Darlington - it is a regional facility and that is why we received such a large grant."

The initial ecological work on the trees could lead to the park becoming a wildlife haven, according to consultant Charles Crawford.

He said: "The work will be mainly focused around the lake, which will be completely dredged.

"There weren't thought to be water voles in the park but ecologists have identified their presence, so there will be surveys to establish exactly where they are and make sure they're protected."

The South Park restoration project has been boosted by a £2.9m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Funds are also being provided by Darlington Borough Council, County Durham Environmental Trust, Training and Enterprise Council, and other community groups.

Other parts of the plan include restoring the bandstand and terracotta fountain, refurbishing the lake, creating a sensory garden and improving public access, and building educational facilities.

It is hoped that the restoration and development work will be completed by summer 2004. The park will remain open throughout the work.

Regular updates will be posted on the borough council's web site.