BACUP's fountain is going to burst into life once again -- but not as we know it.

It had been hoped that the fountain would be able to be restored and a survey was carried out by Ustigate, a firm of water display specialists.

But the surveyor's report outlined that to bring the existing fountain up to present health and safety standards would be greater than the costs of a replacement feature -- in excess of £40,000.

The report has now been received by Bacup Consortium and Groundwork Rossendale, project managers for the Bacup and Stacksteads Greening Project.

But following discussions with the Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail and Rossendale Council, it is now planned to commission an artist to produce a brand new feature for the town centre involving moving water, but not necessarily on the fountain site.

The tilted vase in Ramsbottom gushes water and has been subject to much critical acclaim. Funding for the project will be from the landfill tax credit, the Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail and other sources.

Over the next year Bacup Consortium and Groundwork will be work with the sculpture trail team to develop a number of different ideas for this exciting new project.

Chairman of the consortium Tricia Brindle said: "Some of the ideas put forward so far include a Nutters Dancing on the Water sculpture, a traditional classical tiered fountain, or, more adventurously, opening up the river underneath the culvert in the paved pedestrian area in St James Street.

"The first stage of the project will involve commissioning artists to put forward alternative designs to meet the project specification and all the designs must involve moving water.

"To ensure that everyone in Bacup and Stacksteads can have their say, the artists designs will be put to a community vote, before the final design is chosen.

"It is hoped, at this stage, that the project will be completed sometime in the late summer of 2003."

The project plan also includes trying finding a new home or an imaginative use for the old fountain.

Diane van Ruitenbeek, the consortium's greening project co-ordinator, said: "We hope that this new project will help to put Bacup back on the map and help to create a town centre we can all be proud of.

"The people of Bacup are, however, very attached to the old fountain, it was given to the people of Bacup in the 1950s by the theatre and it is therefore very much a part of Bacup's heritage.

"We would hate to see it just demolished. We are therefore inviting everyone to think about what we could do with it."

If anyone has any ideas, for either the old or the new project contact Diane at the consortium on 01706 879553.