A senior town and district councillor has heralded the £300,000 revamp of Weston's Marine Lake a 'huge success'.

Councillor for Weston's Hillside ward, John Crockford-Hawley, said the lake has now become a 'popular destination for locals and visitors alike,' claiming people are now enjoying the venue through 'healthy activities'.

The revamp saw 30,000 tonnes of silt drained and cleared from the lake in a process which took around two months to complete.

Dutch dredgers helped to clear the lake, which had been neglected by the council for almost 20 years, and repaired the sluice gates, ensuring the silt is well-managed in the future.

It was reopened at the beginning of this month (June 1) with scores of people eagerly awaiting the launch.

Cllr Crockford-Hawley said: "The lake is now also becoming a popular venue for paddle boarding and canoeing - just the sort of healthy activities we should be encouraging."

The senior councillor took to the water yesterday (June 22) to test out claims Marine Lake is now on par with other great lidos around the world.

He added: "I thought it was about time to take a dip - it was delightfully warm, and though obviously not quite so blue as the Mediterranean, it's here, always in, and with a good depth for real swimming.

"I would like to thank my colleagues for supporting the restoration project and to the Mudlarks - a band of local volunteers who've done much to encourage the lake's return to use after a decade's deterioration."

The councillor is now inviting his colleagues in the chamber to join him for a dip, but jokingly said he 'wouldn't be holding his breath'.