WORK to revamp Dorchester's historic Borough Gardens will start within weeks.

Dorchester Town Council was celebrating last year after securing almost £1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the major refurbishment.

The grant was finally awarded after years of campaigning by the council and supporters of the awardwinning park.

Now council chiefs have confirmed that the work is about to start on the refurbishment.

Dennis Holmes, clerk to Dorchester Town Council, said: "The first work on the site should be happening shortly.

"The first sign that work is starting is that the fountain will disappear for refurbishment off-site - that should happen in the next two to three weeks.

"The fountain will be off-site for three to four months and should be back in the summer.

"We are also hoping to let the tender for the railings shortly, once that happens the railings will be made off site and then will be installed."

He said the council was currently in talks over the finer details of the building work and landscaping work planned for the gardens.

"We hope to have all that finalised shortly," said Mr Holmes.

The Heritage Lottery Fund announced last summer that it was making an award of £950,500 to help fund a major overhaul of the award-winning park.

The refurbishment is expected to cost £1.6 million in total, £1.3 million of which is made up from the lottery grant and town council funding.

Other contributions have come from various sources, such as the old hospital site property developers who built the new tennis courts.

The grant will allow the council to carry out the refurbishment of the Borough Gardens House, as well as installing a new children's play area, new facilities including a refreshment kiosk and toilets, and a new area for entertainment