Draining Telford's Southwater Lake - in pictures

The landmark Southwater Lake in Telford town centre is fast disappearing after contractors moved in to drain it ahead of huge redevelopment work to give the town a vibrant centre.

A new lake of the same size will eventually take its place, however, as part of the £250 million Southwater project aimed at creating a vibrant, living heart in the centre of Telford.

Fish from Southwater Lake have already been relocated before workmen moved in to drain the water and ecologists say ducks, moorhens and other birds on the site will also move on now the operation is under way.

Southwater Lake is being drained ready to be filled in and turned into a development plot to create new civic offices for Telford & Wrekin Council.

The council will move having sold its existing Malinslee House headquarters nearby to supermarket Asda, which will move onto that site from its existing location in Telford Shopping Centre.

The drainage and in-filling of the lake marks the first phase of the ambitious Southwater redevelopment which will include office space, a new library, two new hotels, bars, restaurants, cafés and shops, and a leisure hub with a space for a leisure pool and multi-screen cinema.

There will also be hundreds of homes, including apartments and town houses.

Councillor Andrew Eade, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said the work was focused on getting the site ready for major investment.