WORK has started on a major facelift aimed at transforming the notorious Hiltingbury Recreation Ground in Chandler's Ford into a leisure paradise.

The first phase of the scheme is to provide much-needed improvements to the sporting facilities at the rec and the initial task centres on completely renewing the grass playing surfaces.

Turf is being removed from the 15-acre site and the next stage will be the installation of new drainage and soil preparation.

An Eastleigh council spokesman said the work was scheduled to take approximately three weeks, with work completed on re-seeding by September.

The project has been pioneered by the council's Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury local area committee and the Hiltingbury Community Association.

Its chairman, Mike Hughes, commented: "It's really good to see work under way and that there is evidence that things are starting to happen."

But he added: "This is just the start. A youth activity area, new community building and other facilities are planned."

Lottery loot totalling £126,760 has so far been awarded to the facelift scheme by Sport England while the council's local area committee has weighed in with £67,720. The cash will be used to finance the ground preparation works.

Eastleigh's executive councillor for leisure, Alan Broadhurst, said: "Hiltingbury Recreation Ground is our main area for new and better facilities in Chandler's Ford and is likely to see £1m of investment in the coming years."