Digger sinks during pond maintenance work

A digger has become stuck in the silt-filled pond it is supposed to be repairing.

Work was being done to "desilt and repair" the Doctors Pond in Great Dunmow, Essex, when the excavator sank, the town council said.

"We dig a lot of holes but we don't usually end up in them," said Jonathan Little, the digger's owner.

The council stressed efforts were being made to rescue it "as quickly and safely as possible" while minimising disruption.

The Doctors Pond, in the town centre, is reputedly named after an 18th Century doctor who bred leeches and kept them in the pond for medical use.

It is also claimed to have been the location where Lionel Lukin, the inventor of an unsinkable lifeboat, first tested out his creation.

The desilting project was estimated to take between three and four weeks when it started in October, but soon ran into delays.

Mr Little, managing director at construction firm Castle Wren, conceded the latest delay was "an unusual situation to be in".

He added: "It's annoying, you want to keep projects moving and everything like this is a setback.

"Whilst we expect to get it out, if I don't then it will be a nice new Christmas tree for next year - we'll put some lights round it."

He said his firm would be "responsible for restoring grassed areas, benching , pathways etc".

About 12,000 fish were safely removed from the pond at the start of October, with fencing installed and the water pumped into the River Chelmer.

However, "environmental pressures" and "logistical challenges" stalled the project, which the council said required a "significant financial investment".

Amanda Lindsell, the council clerk, added: "We are very frustrated, we just want our pond back how it was.

"I'm hopeful in the summer this will be long forgotten and everything will be back to normal."

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