A GREEN space in Weymouth needs friends.

People who visit Lodmoor Country Park and want to make it an even better place to visit are encouraged to attend a meeting next week.

Residents have got together with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council with a view to forming a Friends of Lodmoor.

A similar approach has been adopted in other areas of the town to protect parks and gardens and is showing real results.

Lodmoor resident Vera Gatfield said: "We have a wonderful amenity on our doorstep and in order to retain and improve the park, local residents are keen to form a friends' group.

"The country park is there for us all and by sharing ideas, becoming involved in practical projects and helping to organise fun events we can help to make a difference.

"We've established a working relationship with the borough council's parks' section and there are plans in place to site new benches around the park."

The forthcoming meeting will provide an opportunity to find out people's views on how the country park can be further enhanced to encourage more people to use it.

It will be held at The Lodmoor pub at 6.30pm on Thursday October 9, and it is hoped to officially form the Friends of Lodmoor soon after that.

Contact Tara Gooding at the council on 01305 838297.