Steps are being taken to revive an ailing wildlife oasis and popular beauty spot often used to give schoolchildren a taste of nature.

Corston quarry and pond is a local nature reserve known for a variety of wildlife such as flowers and butterflies while the surrounding scrub woodland provides nesting habitats for many birds.

The pond at the heart of the redundant limestone quarry is an important toad breeding site, where newts, dragonflies and damselflies can also be seen.

However, after 20 years of falling leaves the pond, which has become a great draw to schools, guides and brownie groups who use the reserve for outdoor environmental education, is slowly silting up.

The leaves have decomposed allowing invasive species such as reedmace to proliferate and reduce the area of open water.

The pond could vanish altogether unless urgent action is taken, but on Monday help was at hand when Wessex Water splashed out £500 to help pay for a digger to remove the sludgy muck created by the leaves.

The St Paul Malmesbury Without Parish Council, which owns the site, has matched the Wessex Watermark Award with a further £500 to help fund the pond’s revival.

The reserve’s management team has also applied for funding from Malmesbury Carnival, which raises cash for local groups and initiatives, to end the clean-up.

An experienced local contractor has been hired to remove the reedmace and silt from the pond, Ann Skinner, who leads management of the reserve, said: “Corston pond and its immediate surrounds are an ideal spot to introduce children to the wonders of our natural environment.

“Bringing them here where they can pond dip and see for themselves the yearly cycle of life played out in front of their eyes is wonderful.”

She said the work will make children’s visits easier, safer and more rewarding, and added: “It will provide a healthy environment for aquatic flora and fauna for at least the next 30 years.”

n The Watermark Award provides funds for environmental projects within the Wessex Water area.

Now in its 21st year, it has supported over 900 environmental initiatives. Organised by The Conservation Foundation, all projects are judged by a panel chaired by its president, TV botanist David Bellamy.