Work has started to "restore, conserve and enhance" Beddington Park as part of a £3.7 million development project.

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded Sutton Council £3 million for the proposals last year.

Water levels on the lake are being gradually lowered before dredging begins to remove years of build-up material.

Improvements are to include the site entrances, access, parking, children's playground, restoration to the Grange Garden and new garden space in the churchyard extension.

Cllr Jill Whitehead, chair of the environment and neighbourhood committee, said: “This is a very exciting project which promises to make Beddington Park an outstanding highlight of the borough for residents and visitors.

“Inevitably the scale of the works means there will be some disruption to daily park use, for which I apologise in advance.

“Rest assured that we are doing everything to carefully protect and preserve the wildlife, and by the Spring the park will really start to come to life and be back to its very best.”