A NEW ranger service which has been launched to be the public face of Darlington's parks and nature reserves was put on its toes with its first customer - botanist David Bellamy.

Darlington Borough Council's park rangers will speak to the public and friends' groups to encourage use of the town's green spaces.

They will also take on board comments, suggestions and complaints to enhance parks and nature reserves.

The service, which is similar to the council's Street Scene team, has partly arisen from the council's award of beacon status for its work to manage the parks and also Darlington Partnership's Perfectly Placed document.

The aims of the document included encouraging townsfolk to use its parks and nature reserve.

More than £4m has been spent restoring the parks over the last few years, predominantly £3m refurbishing the Victorian South Park and 1m at the new West Park.

Mr Bellamy returned to South Park yesterday nearly 40 years to the day after his first visit on the way to his then new job at the University of Durham.

He said: "I was brought up in London and as soon as the school day was finished, we were in the park. When holidays came around we were in the park.

"We have never had it so good in terms of holidays so we tend to forget how important our parks are.

"Darlington was a rich town and had the first trains and so they built these fantastic parks. It is extremely pleasing to see the investment here."

Rob George, from the council's countryside team, said: "South Park and West Park are the two extremes of what parks are.

"We have the formal stuff here at South Park with the traditional layout. We also have West Park where it is fun and exciting."

The council has also won an additional £45,200 Heritage Lottery funding for its £878,500 plans at the Denes. Features will include new entrances, bridge repairs, improved lighting and signage, seating, fences and improvements to horticulture.

Andy Neasham, head park ranger and former Street Scene worker, said: "We are linking in with all the friends' groups, all the parks and all the green spaces.

"We want to pull them all together and get the most of them whether that is putting on events or making people aware what is available in the areas."