A popular East Lancashire beauty spot has been bought "at the eleventh hour" to preserve its future for residents and visitors.
Jack's Key Lodge in Darwen, once home to a boating lake, reservoir and cafe, is now an ecological haven.
In 2017 the Environment Agency reopened the site to the public after spending £2.4m on landscaping, leaving a small wetland, a new river channel and a scenic walkway.
Jack's Key Lodge has been bought by Blackburn with Darwen Council after it was put up for auction by The Crown Estate. Council leader Phil Riley said the local authority, alerted by a resident that the beauty spot was up for sale, had "quickly rallied" with a successful undisclosed bid.
'Biodiversity hotspot'
"We know that the lodge has historically been a very popular place in Darwen and it's still very much enjoyed by our residents today, so it was important that we stepped in to help protect its future," explained Riley.
"In 2016, the Environment Agency undertook extensive works to return Jack's Key back to its natural state - reducing the flood risk, improving the paths, adding a new bridge and creating walks with sculptures carved into wood.
"Our plan is to retain it as open space, keeping it as a place for our residents and visitors to continue to enjoy freely."
Jack's Key Lodge dates back to the 1800s.
Its reservoir, which was drained in the 1980s, originally provided water for a nearby paper mill.
An information board at the site describes it as one of Darwen's biodiversity hotspots and an important habitat for the town's wildlife, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.