ONCE a glorious Victorian park, residents believe Darlington's South Park has suffered "20 years of considered neglect".

While Darlington Borough Council awaits millions of pounds of National Lottery funding, the state of the scenic pleasure gardens is steadily getting worse.

Plant pots, including an impressive urn outside the caf, are regularly tipped over and damaged - only to be put back in place for the vandals to strike again.

Fences are broken, and a once beautiful pond at the Grange Road end of the park is "just a piece of water that has got sludge and gunk and bacteria growing in it", according to one disgusted resident.

The first stage of a bid for £3.78m of Heritage Lottery Fund money has been successful, and final confirmation of the money coming to Darlington is expected early next year.

But critics say the council is only looking at short-term measures to stop further vandalism, rather than any cleaning up before that money comes through.

The park may not be restored completely until 2003.

Residents, who came together as the Friends of South Park group almost two years ago, say they are disgusted.

Christine Munck said: "I just think that, after 20 years of considered neglect, it is a great shame that now they are proposing to do something about the state of the park."

Fellow group member Pat Bullock said: "I think it is terrible. I am really angry about it. They are doing nothing. They are just leaving it."

But a council spokesman said the authority was working closely with police to try to stop the vandalism problem.

Its uniformed wardens, who are linked by radio to the police, are stepping up patrols at the park.

The spokesman said: "There is a vandalism problem at the park, but we have to find a way to make sure it is not vandalised and can be enjoyed by everybody.

"We cannot, though, make the park like Fort Knox, as part of its attraction is that you can get easy access to it."

He accepted that some of the fencing at the park had been left damaged for a long time, but said the Lottery bid included money for new fencing.

"We don't want to spend money now, repairing fencing, when we have a comprehensive scheme planned for the park," the spokesman said.

"We are looking at short-term measures to stop the vandalism and heightening our regular patrols.

"We are talking about a large park, and the Lottery money is aimed at bringing it back to its former Victorian glory.

"If you walk around the park there are areas that need refurbishing, but it is still beautiful, and is probably one of the finest examples of a Victorian park in England."

The council spokesman said the residents' views were understandable, but he appealed for patience.

Meanwhile, Conservative councillor Alan Marshall said: "I was born in Darlington and I go back a long way, and I am very sorry about what has happened to the park.

"The railings have been allowed to go into disrepair and are in a crumbling state, and at the moment there are many areas where vandals can get in."

A fellow Tory, Councillor Heather Scott, whose ward includes part of the park, warned that it was in for another season of neglect if no money was be spent on it before the result of the Lottery bid was known.

She said: "It is a tragedy the way the park has deteriorated, when it used to be the jewel in the crown of Darlington.

"The area looks absolutely neglected, and it is just an excuse to say they are waiting for this Lottery money. If the council does not get the money, what will happen then?"