THE Mayor of London has announced that Fairlop Waters Country Park will receive a cash boost of £400,000 after coming in the top ten of a London-wide voting contest.

The money will be used to give the green space a 'makeover', improving facilities such as paths and play equipment and encouraging wildlife.

Boris Johnson launched the 'Help a London Park' programme in November, and 47 parks across the capital were nominated.

Fairlop Waters gained 3,799 votes, coming second in the North East category behind Mayesbrook Park with 5,132 votes.

Cllr Linda Huggett, the council's cabinet member for Leisure, Culture and the Olympics, said: "This is absolutely fantastic news and, on behalf of the Council, I would like to thank everyone responsible in helping us to secure this much-needed additional funding, including our hard working parks staff and, of course, everyone who voted for us.

"We shall now progress our plans to transform the park and create the improvements our residents have been asking for.

"We want to make all of our parks and open spaces among the very best to be found anywhere in the capital."