A BID to return to a Padiham park to its former glory has taken a big step forward after councillors agreed to back the project.

Burnley Council's executive has approved plans to apply for up to £1million of lottery cash to restore Memorial Park.

The historic park is one of the borough's six heritage parks but has suffered years of neglect.

Many of the park's facilities are in a poor state of repair and council bosses feared its Green Flag status could be lost unless there was significant investment.

Now the authority is to put together an application for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to revamp the park.

Coun Roger Frost, executive member for leisure, said: "We have to do this for Padiham.

"This would transform Padiham and would be the kind of investment Padiham deserves."

A total of £90million is up for grabs over the next four years with grants of between £250,000 to £5million for individual projects.

An initial approach to HLF would cost £20,000 and Simon Goff, the council's head of green spaces, said a high quality application would have to submitted because the bidding process was competitive.

If successful, a second more detailed bid would be submitted costing £50,000 before a final decision was made.

Both applications would be drawn up by park restoration specialists in consultation with Padiham Town Council, the Friends of Memorial Park and residents.

Burnley Council has agreed to stump up the £20,000 needed to support the applications.

The rest of the cash would come from grants.

If successful, the authority would contribute another 10 per cent of the amount awarded, meaning it could fork out another £100,000.

Facilities such the toilets, play areas, paths and bandstand would be restored.

Mr Goff said: "The park provides an area of significant recreational value for the residents of Padiham."

Memorial Park was designed by Lancashire landscape designer Thomas Mawson, who gained an international reputation in the early 20th Century and designed Rydal Hall near Ambleside and Gray- thwaite Gardens at Newby Bridge.