Leyland volunteers celebrate Paradise Park transformation and new sculpture

A Leyland volunteer group is celebrating following a series of upgrades to its local park, including a newly installed sculpture celebrating nature.

The park, known as Paradise Park, is part of a network of open spaces and footpaths that form part of a circular walking and horse riding route around the Moss Side area of Leyland.

The upgrades are part of South Ribble Borough Council’s £600,000 investment programme to enhance Withy Grove Park in Bamber Bridge and Paradise Park in Leyland, with funding provided by the developers of the nearby Centurion Village, formerly the Leyland Test Track, specifically for the park.

The £302,000 improvement works to Paradise Park, which started earlier this year, include resurfacing the stone path network to link up with the new Centurion Village development, installing bridges over ditches, improving drainage, planting new trees, and installing new entrance gates and signage.

Councillor Matthew Farnworth, Cabinet Member for Parks, Events and Culture, said: “Since 2019, we’ve made fantastic progress across the borough, refurbishing 17 play areas and completing 18 parks and open space projects, and we’re just getting started.”

In 2013, the Friends of Paradise Park group was formed following requests from local residents after anti social behaviour in the park.

Since then, the Friends, who are all volunteers, have concentrated on cleaning up the park by collecting litter and fly tipped waste, cleaning out the pond, clearing drainage ditches, renovating the bridges and improving sight-lines across the park.

During that time, the volunteers have helped increase activity in the park, reducing anti social behaviour and allowing wildlife to thrive.

David Williams, secretary of the Friends of Paradise Park, said: “We try to look after the park with weekly litter picks. We cut back nettles and brambles. We’ve completed a number of projects in the park, including an orchard, woodland paths, bog gardens and wildflower meadows.”

David first spotted the sculpture 10 years ago at the Worden Park council depot and thought it would be perfect for Paradise Park.

David continued: “With all the work going on, it was a great opportunity to bring the sculpture here. I love it. It makes a great central feature because this will become the connecting point to Centurion Village.

“I think it’s one of the nicest natural parks around. There’s lots of wildlife and it’s an important part of the area. We need green spaces. We saw how important they were during Covid, so we’ve got to preserve them.”

Maggie O’Neill, who has been a member of the Friends of Paradise Park for eight years, said: “I call myself a friend of Paradise Park, but in fact, Paradise Park has been a friend to me, especially during Covid when we were all isolated. It supported me and I think that’s why we need our green spaces, because they support people.

“When we first started doing this, the park was an awful mess, but now it’s a beautiful place and people love it.

“There’s lots of wildlife. I’ve seen bats, hedgehogs and frogs. I’ve even seen a small herd of at least six or seven deer very early in the morning.”