REFURBISHMENT work at Cliffe Castle Park in Keighley will be complete within a few weeks.

Bradford Council is planning an official reopening of the park on December 10 following its Heritage Lottery-funded improvements.

Also coming up is a Halloween Monster Dash on October 28 in aid of Manorlands, and a series of celebratory family events.

The official reopening was postponed from its original-scheduled date in July due to delays with completing renovation work, but planned entertainment went ahead as a smaller garden party.

The council yesterday revealed that much of the major restoration work was now complete and volunteers had been busy planting in recent weeks.

The Cactus Society has finished its new display incorporating donated specimens which are around 50 years old.

The park has also received a donation of a 120-year-old aspidistra which would have been growing locally when the original owner of Cliffe Castle, textile millionaire Henry Isaac Butterfield, was living there.

The £4.5 million restoration of the park has been going on since July last year.

Bradford Council successfully bid £3.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Parks for the People programme, and provided the rest of the funding itself.

The project has seen the restoration of original buildings, features and statues of the park, which have all been brought back to their original Victorian splendour.

Park and museum staff are planning a series of family events to mark the official grand re-opening and details will be released leading up to the event.

Coun Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Culture, said: “The restoration of the park is a huge boost for the area and we thank regular users for their patience and understanding during the massive transformation.

“Cliffe Castle has been one of the district's favourite destinations since it became a park and museum over 50 years ago.

“We all look forward to showing off the improvements and unveiling our spectacular new glasshouses on a day that celebrates the sites history and variety.

“It won’t be long now before it is all complete to provide an amazing museum and park surroundings, to be enjoyed by the community and other visitors for many years to come.”

Cliffe Castle Museum and the park will play host to a Halloween Monster Dash, a family event inviting people to dress up and complete a 1km circuit around the spooked-up estate grounds.

All those taking part in the event between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, 28 October, will be given a head torch at the start and presented with a Monster Dash medal when they finish.

Information about the Sue Ryder Manorlands charity event is available on www.sueryder.org/monsterdash.