ELEVEN years ago, Bury clean-up campaigner Marisa Dale launched a lone crusade to build an Edwardian-style bandstand and bring open air music back to her local park.

On Sunday her campaign was finally concluded when the completed bandstand in Clarence Park was officially opened.

Miss Dale, who lives in Raymond Avenue just yards from the bandstand, began fundraising in 1994 after lamenting the loss of a bandstand and the absence of open-air concerts in a park once famed for them.

Miss Dale and other members of The Friends of Clarence Park had already done much to improve the Lido area and protect wildlife and her next project was to re-build the bandstand.

The target was to raise a total of £25,000 with Bury Council promising to match her contribution and hopes were high for a windfall from the National Lottery.

Dozens of fundraising concerts and other events were organised by Miss Dale, with hundreds of schoolchildren taking part and small donations being made.

As her fund slowly climbed to £5,000 the concrete base was laid but then the cash drive stalled. Miss Dale waited for the council to complete the work with wrought-iron railings and a roof, but she waited in vain. The council money was not forthcoming and a bid to the National Lottery also failed. The campaign seemed at an end.

Now, seven years later, the bandstand project is back on the agenda as Bury Council continue their policy of improving the towns parks.