A NATIONAL expert on park restoration has been appointed to mastermind a project to transform Bolton's Queens Park.

Council leisure chiefs want to put in a new bid for Heritage Lottery cash to restore the park.

Andrew Harland, of Peterborough-based Landscape Design Associates, has now been taken on to revise a lottery bid which was put in last year. The £2.25m bid was aimed at restoring historic features of the park but leisure bosses were advised to withdraw and re-submit it with more detail.

The park, which English Heritage has recently listed in a register of parks and gardens of special historic interest, was originally designed by William Henderson and opened in 1866.

Mr Harland, an authority on the restoration of English parks, will be working closely with the Garden History Society, English Heritage and the Lottery Fund to produce a revised scheme for the restoration of the park.

The scheme will renovate some of the park's key features, such as its terrace, lakes, sunken flower garden, statues and extensive network of paths.

There will also be better play areas, events areas, new toilets and a cafe and restaurant.

Meanwhile, work has started on a £19,500 upgrade of toilets in Moss Bank Park after a survey of visitors revealed most people felt improving facilities was a top priority.

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