The Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) have revealed that six parks across England will net a share of £13m towards restoration schemes.

Parks in London; Darlington; Oldham and Stoke-on-Trent have received grants under the Parks for People initiative, which has already seen more than £150m invested since 2006. Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets, London, has been awarded the largest share of funding, with a £4.5m grant towards restoration work on four of the park's most iconic features.

The Burdett-Coutts Fountain; the Chinese Pagoda; the Dogs of Alcibiades and the Old English Garden will be revitalised, while new training and volunteering opportunities will be introduced. Bishop's Park and Fulham Palace Grounds in west London has received £3.64m towards efforts to restore the existing buildings and landscape, while Dunwood Park in Oldham secured nearly £1.1m.

Burslem Park in Stoke-on-Trent has been handed nearly £2.1m towards a scheme to restore a pavilion and terracotta terrace, as well as improvements to access, heritage and wildlife walks and the introduction of an educational programme. Elsewhere, Horniman Gardens in Forest Hill, London, has been awarded £907,000 and Darlington's Brinkburn Denes Park will receive £878,500.

HLF chief executive Carole Souter said: "Now the clocks have gone forward, it's the perfect time to get out and enjoy our many wonderful public parks. "We should all remember that parks need constant care and attention, often relying heavily on voluntary support and continued investment."

Image: Bishop's Park, London