A KEY date in the saga of Swanage Bandstand is fast approaching.

December 7 marks the official closing date for submission of tenders for the historic bandstand's restoration.

After then, town officials will have a better idea of when work on the £160,000 rescue project will be able to start.

Currently, it is hoped work will start next year, with a view to the bandstand being completed by June at the latest.

Friends of Swanage Bandstand (FOSB) have raised almost £67,000 towards the costs, with Swanage Town Council pledging to stump up an additional £50,000.

This leaves a funding shortfall of £43,000.

FOSB founder Alan Houghton said: "We need a big push now to get the rest, which is why I’m asking for a bit more help to get us some more funds."

Alan, who will take part in this year's Swanage Boxing Day swim to raise more sponsorship, said: "For anyone who doesn’t already know that we have a fantastic caring and giving community here in Purbeck, then this has been proved to me by the support given to our charity FOSB.

"When I first started the campaign to raise the funds by pledge, which would be collected when we had charity status, I had several people suggest that pledges would probably not be paid. I responded with the same reply, 'remember you are in Swanage, I expect to get most of them'.

"Out of over 500 receipts given only three are unpaid and only one in Swanage for £20. Well done everyone."

Early in 2017 the town council announced the bandstand may have to be filled in by the end of that August, if no proposals for the site were forthcoming.

The roof of the bandstand was declared structurally unsound during refurbishment works in 2012, which had been taking place to address serious storm damage it had sustained previously.

News the bandstand was facing its final curtain caused public outcry locally, and after more than 200 people attended a crisis meeting, Alan established FOSB.

On his Boxing Day swim, Alan said: "Please support me if you can, as the last time I went in the water in Swanage was over 60 years ago when sewerage used to sweep the bay during storms and I wore a knitted swimming costume...what a sight?"

If you can help contact Alan on al2lyho@talktalk.net, or via 07814 319 263.