PLANS to regenerate a park that was once the jewel at the heart of a mining community were unveiled yesterday.

View Lane Park, in Stanley, has become virtually a no-go area after years of neglect.

Yesterday its owners, Derwentside District Council, revealed proposals for a £750,000 revamp which would restore the park to its former glory.

It hopes to do the same for Stanley's forgotten park as a recently-finished scheme did for Consett.

Steve Howell, head of leisure services in Derwentside, said: "We feel it is important to breathe new life into a facility that has been run down.

"Parks generally have been the victim of council neglect due to cutbacks, but there are schemes about now that can help remedy this."

The proposals include a much-needed children's play area, plus restoration works to paths and the bridge. A new entrance could be created in the North-East corner of the site to link with new housing next to the park.

It is hoped the cash will come from the National Lottery Heritage fund, with some funding provided by the council.

Mr Howell said fund managers had already shown some interest in the site.

He said: "One of the things that is interesting from their point of view is that the trees on site now are the original ones put in.

"This means that, for heritage value, the trees are actually of more interest than the park structure itself."

The first stage of the bid is expected to be submitted soon.

The seven-acre park was established at the turn of the century, by the former local authority, Stanley Council. The land was originally part of the Shield Row Plantation, owned by the Shafto family.

Its heyday was the 1920s and 1930s, but by the 1980s it had fallen into decline.

The council is setting up a steering group, the Friends of View Lane Park, to guide the project and decide on the final plans.

Anyone interested in joining the group is asked to call (01207) 218526.