A COUNTRYSIDE-lover has launched a one-man challenge to the council and environmentalists to make a park safe before they make it pretty.

David Johnson walks his dog in Victoria Park, Haslingden, every day and is appalled by its condition, despite work by Rossendale Groundwork.

He says some areas are so swampy that he has even had to rescue a child trapped in a boggy patch.

He said: "Parts of that park are in an appalling state. I had to rescue a child from a swamp and if I hadn't got there in time God only knows what would have happened - the child could have suffocated.

"Yes, Groundwork are working on the park but what they have done is what should have been the finishing touches - sculptures and mosaics.

"I think the drainage of the park should have been sorted out, the litter cleared and the land made safe before any of that should have been done."

At a ceremony to open the new-look park Mr Johnson of Park Avenue, challenged Groundwork and the council to properly refurbish the site.

He said: "Some people round here seem to use it like the local tip and are spoiling what could be a beautiful park."

But Julie Wickington of Groundwork Rossendale said that the work that has been done so far is only the beginning of a partnership between Groundwork, the council and local residents who have founded a Friends of Victoria Park group. She said: "The mosaic was our first simple project to raise the profile of the park scheme, but we will be doing more - putting in rubbish bins, seating and a woodland glade and paths.

"The Friends group has also come up with good ideas and reports incidents to the council, which is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the park."

Arthur Marriott, Rossendale Council's leisure officer, said: "Work was done on the drainage in the park after the incident when Mr Johnson rescued the child.

"While there is no specific funding or plan available to deal with this in a major way at the moment, we will look at any specific problems and if we consider there is a danger then we will take steps to deal with it."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.