NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray has written to the Heritage Lottery Fund in the hope of securing further funding for the restoration of a pond in Corston, near Malmesbury.

The Parish Council and a group of volunteers who have looked after the pond since it was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 2005 are hoping to coninue restoration work to preserve the pond for the next 30 years.

Corston Quarry and pond’s limestone grassland is rich in flowers and butterflies and the surrounding scrub woodland provides nesting habitats for many birds.

The pond is an important toad breeding site where newts, dragonflies and damselflies can also be seen.

Over the past twenty years leaves falling into the pond have decomposed, allowing invasive species such as reedmace to proliferate and reduce the area of open water. The silt was partially removed in October but further work is still needed to save the pond.

Mr Gray wrote: “I am delighted to add this letter of support to the many others I know you will have received for the local volunteer group’s application for a very modest £5000 for a second phase of works to restore Corston Pond, which is an essential local amenity in my North Wiltshire constituency.

“The pond is particularly important for environmental education and engaging people - especially children - with the natural world.

“I know that it is used widely by schools, Guide and Brownie Groups and other groups like ActivAcre, and it is brilliantly well managed by a keen group of volunteers.

“I do hope that the Heritage Lottery Fund will be able to grant funding for these vital works, which have my full support.”