WORK to restore Towneley Park's pond, in front of Towneley Hall, is on course to be finished by the end December.

And Burnley folk are being invited to play a part in the restoration project.

A meeting next week will give people the chance to get involved -- from the design of the new fountain to restocking the pond with fish.

A Burnley Council spokesman today said: "The Friends of Towneley Park are meeting on Monday at 7pm at Towneley Hall.

"The meeting will include discussion on improving the grassed area around the pond, the design of the fountain and the restocking of the pond.

"This is an open meeting so if you would like to become involved with the restoration project please come along."

Over the next few weeks visitors will be able to see the repair works to restore the retaining walls and installation of new pipe work as work on the pond continues.

Councillor Colette Bailey, Burnley Council's Executive member for leisure, said: "Towneley Park is changing for the better and this is just one project of a £3.2million five-year restoration programme to restore and improve the park for generations to come."

Annette Birch, the council's project manager for the Towneley Park restoration, said: "Draining the pond has been like taking a step into the past.

"As the water levels have dropped and we've taken out many decades of silt we have discovered that the original pond was not well constructed, illustrated by the fact the weight of the hall lawn has pushed the retaining wall causing it to bulge into the pond.

"This was a previously undiscovered problem and means we now have to replace the whole of this section of the retaining wall.

"To help maintain the water levels and reduce the risk of flooding the pond's lining, water pipes, stone culverts and water regulation mechanism will all be replaced."

Towneley Hall and Park are owned and managed by Burnley Council.

The council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and other partners are funding the multi-million pound restoration programme.