Park Up For £400,000 Makeover

A Brent open space could be in line for £400,000 worth of improvements after the Mayor of London launched a new park regeneration scheme.
Boris Johnson has put aside £6m to fund the makeover of ten open spaces in the capital and is calling on Londoners to decide which ones will get the cash boost.
Brent River Park is up against 47 other open spaces and council leaders are urging the borough's residents to vote.
Councillor Irwin Van Colle, Brent Council's Lead Member for Environment, Planning and Culture, said: "This is a huge amount of money which will transform the park and benefit the whole community.
"We cannot afford to find this sort of amount ourselves. So please support the park and vote. It will only takes a few seconds of your time."
As part of the regeneration scheme, the Mayor will also award a single grant of up to £2 million to one large park for a makeover.
This grant will be decided by the Mayor rather than by public vote, with the advice of a panel of experts.
Brent council wants to turn Brent River Park, which borders Neasden, Stonebridge, St Raphael's and Tokyngton into a fantastic place for walkers and cyclists to enjoy and a haven for wildlife.
Proposals include improved footpaths and cycle routes, better entrances, more information and maps for users and building a new meeting place for the community. Brent also wants to encourage more plants and animals and declare a local nature reserve.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "I urge residents of Brent to use their vote so the most deserving parks in the capital benefit from ten hefty prizes. This investment will make the capital's open spaces cleaner, safer, greener and more enjoyable places for Londoners to use."
Votes can be cast at www.london.gov.uk/parksvote and must be received by Friday January 30, 2009.