A FORMER water fountain that is a feature of Bowness promenade has been "repurposed" and is now a flower bed.

The Forwood Fountain has been without a water supply for many years and, despite the determined efforts of Windermere and Bowness Civic Society, it proved to be too expensive to replace the original lead water pipes and to fund utility charges.

Rather than see it fall into disrepair, the society was granted permission by South Lakeland District Council to convert the fountain into a flower bed.

Using a civic society grant, Windermere Town Council's steward Gary Hancox bought bedding plants and created an impressive floral display.

Mr Hancox is also responsible for planting and maintaining the new flower bed in Ellerthwaite Square, flower tubs in Crescent Road and the "Windermere and Bowness" box-hedge on the roundabout near Windermere Station.

The Forwood Fountain was a gift to Bowness by the wealthy Liverpool merchant and ship owner, Sir William Forwood, who died in 1928. Sir William raised funds to build Liverpool Cathedral and the Liverpool Overhead Railway.

He served as Lord Mayor of Liverpool, High Sheriff of Lancashire, director of the Cunard Line and Commodore of Royal Windermere Yacht Club.

He developed a lasting relationship with St. Mary's Parish Church, Windermere, to which he donated a window celebrating 40 "glorious summers" in Windermere. He also funded the construction of a War Memorial Chapel in the early 1920s.

Mr Forwood is buried in Windermere Cemetery on Rayrigg Road.