Ampthill Park to undergo improvement programme
A Bedfordshire park is set to undergo an ambitious improvement programme.
Once home to Katherine of Aragon and a PoW camp during World War II, Ampthill Great Park has a rich historical heritage.
The town council has secured £65,000 from Natural England and are also preparing to submit a Heritage Lottery Parks for People grant application.
The details of this application will form the blueprint for the park's renovation.
Park manager Gary Quilter will be leading the project, and has re-established the group Friends of the Ampthill Great Park, who will be taking the project forward.
"The park has such a deep heritage and we want to restore the park back to its former glory and make better use of its national heritage," he said.
As part of the restoration project the council, which runs the park, is planning to introduce wild flower meadows, wildlife trails and restore some of the park's historical and national heritage features.
Mr Quilter said: "Ampthill Park has been parkland since the 15th Century. It was also designed by Capability Brown and has some terrific features that we want to renovate.
"We have really big plans for the park over the next five years and we want people from the community to get involved."