Petersfield Town Council has agreed to splash the cash to end a blooming awful problem at Heath Pond.

More than £15,000 is being spent on a range of measures to reduce the toxic blue green algae which plagued the beauty spot last summer.

Oxygen levels in the pond fell to 62 per cent – well below the 80 per cent minimum – last summer but the issue was international and not localised.

The worst affected area was the corner near the boardwalk as a new island reduced water flow and created the perfect breeding area, with some algae remaining because of a mild and wet winter.

Councillors have agreed to pump £5,175 into aeration equipment that will see moveable fountains and paddles being placed in safe areas around the pond.

The island will also be redesigned to improve flow with work expected to finish by early June, while carp stocks have been reduced with the help of a Hull firm.

Barely bales and extract – which will trap and hold algae at bay – have been ordered with netting, labour and installation pushing the total to £15,000.

Councillors who approved the expenditure raised concerns about the high costs but were told the clean-up bill in the event of a severe fish kill caused by BGA would far exceed that figure.

A concerned resident was assured the fountains would not spray “dirty smelly water” from below with six metres being the maximum spread. The timed fountains are also small and will only be operational during daylight hours.