A CLEAN-UP champion is launching a campaign for the restoration of Clarence Park Lido, 15 years after her fight to restore the park to its full glory first began.

The water at the lido has been plagued with a blue green algae problem for several years due to a change in the direction of the water supply, and plans were made to clean up the site after the park was awarded £800,000 for a revamp in 2004.

Marisa Dale, whose biggest victory was the restoration of the park bandstand, is urging Bury Council to address the problem quickly, claiming the algae has driven away the residential swans and fewer families are visiting the lido.

Marisa, of Walmersley Road, said: "I've been working for the benefit of the lido since 1991 and we worked on it for the love of our environment, cleaning and de-weeding with the help of Scouts and volunteers. As we got the water flowing into the lido, the result was 12 white swans, one black swan, and a lovely variety of ducks, coots and herons.

"The fact that the lido is now full of algae means the flow of water is not moving as it should and all the birds have gone. Even when we get dry weather, people are not attending as was usual.

"The whole point of using the lido was for families to enjoy it. On hot days it could be packed with families, birds and animals - this year it has been deserted. I didn't spend all that time on it to leave it like it is."

A spokeswoman for Bury Council said: "The council has looked into the matter and recently received provisional approval for funding to rectify the water quality problems. This work is to be carried out in partnership with the environment agency and we're currently looking at early spring for work to begin which will then take about one year to complete."