A DERELICT pond which was left to "rot" for 20 years could to be restored to its former glory if a lottery grant is approved.

The Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood, Darwen, have applied for a lottery conservation grant of £7,000 to make the pond the family attraction it once was.

Dennis Gillibrand, of the group, said the pond was previously referred to as the frog pond' by children who used to visit the spot at weekends.

He said the area had been missing a family attraction over recent years, when the pond had become overgrown and filled with debris.

He said: "Children used to come to the pond, called the frog pond and look at all the frogs and fish they could see under the water.

"But as the years have gone on it has become silted up and not a lot can survive in it. It does not look very good any more as there is not much water left and the sides of the bank have fallen in.

"The area is really missing the attraction. It used to be visited often by families on a Sunday afternoon.

"It has been there since about 1905 and has served the local area superbly. We want it back and we really hope we will receive the grant.

"It is not something we will be able to do ourselves. We will have to get contractors in. But it will be worth it."

The restoration project comes after a previous £2,600 project to improve Sunnyhurst Wood for out-of-town visitors was completed.

The scheme included installation of six directional finger posts pointing out Darwen Tower, Tockholes, the visitor centre and the bandstand.

The group launched the project after walkers from outside the area began asking local people for directions around the beauty spot.

Thousands of walkers visit the wood each year and last year the beauty spot was awarded a Green Flag award and Local Nature Reserve Status.