AFTER three years of upheaval in South Park, it would take more than wet weather to hold back the celebrations to mark its reopening.

Crowds of people young and old gathered to see if the £3.8m worth of work would live up to expectations.

Many were old enough to remember the glorious South Park of days gone by, and shared stories of childhood adventures and family days there.

The revamped South Park - the oldest municipal park in the region - had a lot to live up to, but did not disappoint. As the gates opened, crowds roamed around and the family fun day swung into action.

Bands played on the new-look bandstand, a Punch and Judy show entertained the crowds, and bowls players donned their waterproofs to ensure rain did not stop play.

The carnival atmosphere lasted all afternoon, and ensured it would be a day to remember.

Although a cycle event was cancelled and a helicopter ride postponed because of the weather, the rest of the day carried on as planned.

Among the highlights was a guided tour of the park by Chris Lloyd, the deputy editor of The Northern Echo, which gave visitors the opportunity to see the differences between the park now and how it used to look.

The park includes a new rose and sensory garden, rockery and rustic bridge.

The bandstand has been revamped, and improvement work has been carried out to the lake and the park's two fountains.

The town's first skate park is among the improved children's play facilities, and new public toilets, benches, bins and signs have been installed.

The event was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which contributed £2.8m towards the restoration, Darlington Borough Council, development agency One NorthEast, engineering company Parsons Brinckerhoff, John Hellens Contracts Limited, Alpha FM, Northern Aviation, the County Durham Environmental Trust and the Friends of South Park.

Visitors seemed unanimous that the three-year restoration was worth the wait.

Darlington Mayor Stella Robson opened the park by unveiling a bronze commemoration plaque, and said it was a place that held many memories for her.

"I came to Darlington with my family to live in 1967, and in the first week we lived here, we found South Park, which was a wonderful discovery," she said.

"In those days, it was still in a very good state, and the children and I thoroughly enjoyed it for years.

"The park has now been wonderfully restored, and it is a very precious thing that could be enjoyed in this town for another 100 years."

Eileen Smith, 64, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has visited South Park since childhood.

She said: "It was brilliant back then, but went downhill, but this is lovely.

"It is a massive improvement compared to what it was, and will definitely encourage people to come and visit Darlington."

Roy Robinson, from Darlington, said: "I have been watching it develop over the months, and now it looks much better. They have done an excellent job."