Regeneration chiefs have moved to reassure people about the safety of Bradford’s planned mirror Pool after a body was discovered in one of the city’s existing water features.

Trevor Farr, 55, a lorry driver for the Thomas Crompton plant hire company, fell into the fountain outside the Magistrates’ Court on Friday night as temperatures plummeted to below freezing.

His body was found trapped beneath the ice the next day by two children. It is believed he had suffered a heart attack before he went into the water.

Today, Barra Mac Ruairi, Bradford Council’s strategic director of regeneration, said: “Fencing has been put up around the fountain and will stay in place until the investigation has been carried out. The land where the fountain is will be re-developed in the New Year as the City Park work moves on to the site.

“The Mirror Pool feature of the City Park scheme is a shallow body of water measuring only 30cm at its deepest point. There is also the option of draining the water as and when required.

“The design has already been positively assessed by the Centre for Accessible Environments and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents which fed into the design of the new park.”

Floral tributes to Mr Farr, a popular grandfather, nicknamed ‘Spratty’, have appeared on the fencing around the pool. He had moved to Lidget Green three years ago but was better known in Clayton, where he lived for nearly 50 years.

As a mark of respect, Thomas Crompton, who owns the company of the same name, has pledged to shut the firm for the funeral.

He said: “We are shutting down the company that morning because there’s so many people who want to go to the funeral. The lads have had a collection.

“He was more than an employee. He was a friend to us all and it was a pleasure working with him.”

Yesterday, his only son, Mark Farr, told the Tele-graph & Argus: “He was a loving dad and did his best to help anyone. I have spoken to the coroner and it was due to the heart attack. The water had nothing to do with his death.”

An inquest into Mr Farr’s death will be opened in due course. Anyone who witnessed the accident is asked to contact Sergeant Phil Jagger at Bradford South CID on 0854 6060606.