A “HIDDEN little gem” tucked away in the county town has been transformed.

Dorchester Riverside Reserve has undergone an £18,000 revamp and the finished project – which includes a new boardwalk, bench area and platform - was unveiled at the weekend.

The reserve, located next to the allotments alongside the Frome Millstream that runs along the bottom of Dorchester, is managed by the Friends of the Riverside Reserve with assistance from Dorchester Town Council.

Recently, access at the reserve had become hazardous, with several boards along the boardwalk collapsing due to the decaying timber. Attempts to fix the damage were unsuccessful as the boardwalk was degrading quicker than it could be repaired.

The project received a £12,000 funding boost thanks to a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme, an initiative which encourages shoppers to vote for local charities and community groups deserving of a helping hand.

Tom Goss, secretary of the Friends of the Riverside Reserve, said: “We are very grateful to the shoppers at Tesco. Without the £12,000 we could not have done the project.

“The old boardwalk was more than 20 years old and would get submerged in water. It had started to rot and the area was very muddy. The new boardwalk is made of recycled plastic and will last.

“It’s very peaceful at the reserve. You can hear the songbirds. Lots of people walk through from the town to relax and get their thoughts together, and now they can rest on the benches and take it all in.”

Work on the project was carried out by town council staff. Mayor of Dorchester, Cllr Tim Harries, officially opened the new area at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

Cllr Harries said: “It’s great to see it all in place and looking lovely. It was a nice day to unveil it.

“It fits in well with the town and we’re very grateful for it. Well done to the town council, who put a lot of work in to it.”

Speaking of the reserve, he added: “It’s a hidden little gem and I would encourage people to visit - and keep it tidy, as it’s a special place.”