THE project to bring Wareham Library's walled garden back to life has taken another step forward.

Wareham & District Development Trust (WDDT) received a welcome boost to its coffers after Wessex Water donated £750 towards the cause.

WDDT development manager John Scott was presented the cheque from Wessex Water's Gerald Bradford at a ceremony attended by civic officials.

The garden contains the remains of a Roman threshold which came from a local Roman villa excavated at Corfe Castle in the 1970s and donated to the library.

Mr Scott explained: "At the moment this important piece of our social heritage is a pile of stones on the ground.

"It is our intention to move the threshold to the south west corner of the garden and place behind it a 2.2m x 2.2m ‘trompe-l’oeil’ creating a representation of the view through the doorway into the furnace room of the villa as it once was."

The Wessex Water Watermark Award will enable WDDT to set up an information board to illustrate the historical context of the Roman threshold and the villa it came from, said Mr Scott.

He added: "The walled garden is rarely used, and yet it has great potential to be a wonderful addition to the town.

"All those involved in the project would like the area to be used as both a tranquil green space and a place for local organisations to use for events, exhibitions and even parties."

WDDT has been given a 20-year lease by Dorset County Council who owns the land.