£1.8m splash at water park

It is hoped the waterpark will attract international tourists

An investment of nearly £2m has been announced for the Cotswold Water Park on the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire borders.

Proposals for the tourist attraction near Cirencester include a new visitor centre, a leisure superstore and a luxury hotel.

A network of footpaths and cycle routes is also planned.

It is hoped that the scheme will double visitor numbers to one million a year.

"Environmentally-friendly"

The £1.8m project is likely to bring about 25 extra jobs.

The water park, a haven for wildlife, covers 40 square miles and was created 50 years ago through gravel extraction.

As well as water sports, visitors enjoy relaxing on a shore - it has the country's only inland Blue Flag beach.

The latest developments are being described as "environmentally-friendly" and are backed by David Bellamy, the park's patron.