THE ‘Big Society’ sprang into action in Winchester last week as a number of agencies combined to save a 400-year-old pond.

A group of Weeke residents saw their village pond restored with almost 20,000 gallons of clean water from Sparsholt College’s hatchery tanks.

The pond, off Stockbridge Road, was historically used by farmers as a watering hole for cattle, but it became polluted as the area developed.

A campaign to save it led by resident Maurice Charrett began in 1994, working with the city and county councils, the Environment Agency and Southern Water.

Mr Charrett said: “In the 1980’s and 90’s it was sadly neglected and was full of shopping trolleys and old bicycles and traffic cones. Two million ponds have been lost in the UK and 80 per cent of the remainder are heavily polluted so this one is worth saving.”

The refilling, on Thursday, January 19, was funded by a £3,000 grant from the county council obtained through Cllr Phrynette Dickens, who represents Winchester Westgate.

Southern Water also agreed to a subsidy of £500 while permission was granted by the Environment Agency.

Kevin Buck, communications officer at Southern Water, said: “This is important to the local area and we are only too pleased to be able to help in whatever capacity.”

Cllr Frank Pearson, deputy Mayor of Winchester, added: “The ‘Big Society’ has been operating in Winchester for years and this is a classic example of what it’s all about.”

Mr Charrett also thanked the contractors MTS and Selwoods of Chandler’s Ford, who provided the water pump.

But Mr Charrett, 80, said he would no longer lead the campaign and appealed for more volunteers to come forward and take on the project.

He said: “I really have to give up because I’m 80 now so I think it’s time that I enjoy retirement a bit more! But the pond has got to be maintained and co-ordinated and if it doesn’t it will go back to the neglect it suffered before.”

The original group of 25 campaigners is down to 13, with each member on a weekly rota to clear rubbish from the pond.

Dirty water was removed from the pond on January 11 with Sparsholt College using it for their pig pens.