Parks are winners

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £15m to five historic UK parks for general improvements. Wollaton Parkwill receive the largest sum of £4.5m for repairs to the Elizabethan hall, which is considered to be the most important in the county. Other 'winners' of £2 to £3 million include the South Marine Park in South Shields, Castle Gardens in Lisburn, Towneley Park in Burnley and Lydiard Park in Swindon. Research by the Heritage Fund has shown that 86% of children would rather go a park than watch television when the weather is nice, and 30% of people living in towns and cities visit a park at least once a week.

- 3/7/05