THE £220,000 revamp of Mansel Park is under way, with sweeping willow trees being planted in what was a boggy no-go area.

Pupils from two Millbrook schools joined forces with mums and tots from the Blakeney Road Sure Start group, estate residents and even Southampton's sheriff Edwina Cooke for the all-day tree-planting effort.

A gardening project for people with learning disabilities, Branching Out, was also at Mansel Park for the event.

It marked the start of improvements to one of the city's biggest patches of open space, which are set to include better football pitches, a bigger play area, a wildlife garden and maze.

The scheme follows a public consultation, which saw hundreds of Millbrook residents vote to stave off the developers from the Green Link, between Mansel Park and Green Park. Southampton City Council had suggested selling off part of the site for housing, to pay for bigger improvements to the park.