A TOWN council has withdrawn its support from a nature reserve after describing a new pond as a potential health hazard.

Great Aycliffe Town Council ended its agreement with Durham County Council to help maintain Rope Moor Nature Reserve in Newton Aycliffe over serious concerns about improvement work being carried out.

In recent months, the county council, which owns the picturesque spot, installed a new pond to deal with surface water from a 175-home development being built at the nearby Cobbler’s Hall estate.

The authority assured The Northern Echo that the pond has been designed in line with national guidelines but, at a meeting of Great Aycliffe Town Council’s environment committee, Councillor Bob Fleming described the water feature as dangerous.

“It is more than 1m in depth and has steep muddy sides,” he said.

“If an animal or human falls into the pond they are going to find it very difficult to get out without assistance.

“They are putting up a 4ft paling fence around the side. That won’t stop anything.”

The pond is designed to take in water after heavy rainfall and, although levels will fluctuate, there will be a permanent depth of 1.25m at its centre.

In 2012, the town council entered into an agreement with Durham County Council to help improve eight grass and woodland sites in the Newton Aycliffe area, including Rope Moor.

Town council environmental officers and volunteers all mucked in, planting trees and bulbs and helping maintain seating, bins and bird and bat boxes.

Durham County Council continued to carry out high level maintenance.

However, members of the town council’s environment committee have voted to terminate the agreement in relation to Rope Moor and will write to the landowners expressing their fears.

John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said; “The pond at Rope Moor nature reserve has been created to act both as a haven for wildlife and as a measure to prevent flooding at nearby residential areas by allowing storm water to drain away into the pond.

“The pond has been designed in line with national guidance and a 1.2m high fence will be installed around the water as a safety measure.”

He said the council would continue to carry out required maintenance work and would meet with the town council to fully understand their concerns.