Stafford's Victoria Park revamp delay caused by flooding

The Environment Agency was due to start the three-day project in Stafford's Victoria Park on Monday. However, due to flooding from the recent wet and snowy weather, it has been unable to start the scheme.

When work finally begins, at a date to be fixed in the upcoming days, the agency will be focusing on the riverside pathways.Wooden edging along parts of the paths is being replaced with a more durable and sustainable plastic.

The main bulk of the work, lasting six weeks, then starts on February 11.

That will include work on the weirs to improve the passageways for the fish there.

Stafford Council leader Mike Heenan said he welcomed the improvements being made.

"We welcome all work that improves the park and the environment," he said. "It sounds like a good scheme.

"The council has spent a lot of money already on the riverside and put a lot of pathways down.

"And we want to encourage more fish into the river."

The Environment Agency will be improving fish passage on two of the weirs at the park.

These are the only weirs left on the River Sow which are a barrier to the movement of fish.

A gap will be made in the two weirs so fish can get through.

The agency is also carrying out other work to allow better fish migration at Great Bridgeford and Shallowford, both north of Stafford. When that is completed, fish will be able to travel unobstructed from the River Trent all the way upstream to the top of the River Sow.

The project at Victoria Park is being funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and will be completed by early spring.