Work has begun on creating a new country park at Milton Creek.

The start of the £2m project, to include a play park, community events area and footpaths, was marked with a "dig" at the creek last week.

Performing the honours were Cllr Cindy Davis, Swale council's executive portfolio holder for the environment, interim director of regeneration Pete Raine, Milton Creek project manager Phoebe Adefeso and Andy Nailor and Cliff Phillips from Jackson Civil Engineering.

Cllr Davis said: "This will show off a part of Sittingbourne that people may not realise existed before."

The project, known as Milton Creek Gateway Landscape in Sittingbourne, will open up access to Milton Creek, reuniting Sittingbourne with its Creekside heritage, turning 52 hectares of brownfield land into "a green heart" for the town.

Those behind the scheme say it will provide a sustainable green link between the residential areas of north Sittingbourne, the regenerated town centre and the Swale as well as improving wildlife habitats along the Creekside and the coast and providing a focal point for leisure and culture in Sittingbourne.

As part of the scheme, the Saxon Shore Way will be realigned to run along the side of the creek as much as possible.

The first stage of the work will focus on the earthworks between Ridham Avenue and Milton Creek, new watercourses and the diversion of the Kemsley Drain.

Work on the creekside path will start in June and the work is due to be completed by autumn next year.