PRESTON'S Cuerden Valley park, in Bamber Bridge, has been awarded a £1.6 million cash boost to help restore its natural beauty.

The 19th century park, currently in a state of disrepair, will be restored by Lancashire Wildlife Trust with a grant of £895,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and further substantial grants from Lancashire Waste Services and the single regeneration budget.

The popular park receives around 200,000 visitors a year and has an estate hall, open park lands and ornamental gardens.

The restoration work will reinstate the park's original character and design qualities lost through the years.

This will include improving access to the park especially for visitors with disabilities, new information boards and educational facilities for local school children.

The grant will also mean training opportunities for unemployed people on the government's New Deal environmental task force.

Anne Selby, chief executive of Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: "It's fantastic news and we are thrilled.

"It has taken about three years to put the package together but we have had a lot of support from local people, MPs and councillors.

The focus of the work will be on a new environmentally-friendly building for vistors, on restoration of the pear orchards and de-silting of the lake.

Anne said: "Over the years it perhaps hasn't been looked after as well as it should have but with this money we are going to be very busy."

The grants will also create employment opportunities for an information events officer, a task force supervisor and a part-time education officer.