Marine Lake in Weston-Super-Mare is set to reopen after £300k dredging project

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Marine Lake in Weston-Super-Mare is due to be reopened in time for the start of the summer season after a £300k restoration.

The process has seen nearly 35,000 cubic meters of silt removed from the bottom of the lake.

The removal of the mud should see the lake available for use over the summer and beyond.

Royal Smals, a Dutch construction company, has been responsible for cleaning up the lake on behalf of North Somerset Council.

Frits Van Den Boogarrd, from the firm, said people will notice they have much more space and nicer water when they return to Marine Lake.

"They will be very happy to swim again," he said.

"Dredging is always good for the water quality as well."

Councillor Mike Solomon said: "It has been neglected and that's why [after] 10/11 years of nothing happening, we're at the stage where we've had to do this dredging.

"Now we have to look at the plan going forward. We put in place a maintenance plan which hasn't been there".

Volunteers have been calling for the clean-up for years and Jan Doyle, from Weston Marine Lake Mudlarkers, told ITV News: "Now as volunteers the work starts because three or four times a year when it's emptied, we'll be out there with our wellies and our wheel barrows and shovels cleaning it up."