FISH in Town Gardens’ ornamental pond are on their annual trip to the azure waters of a gigantic paddling pool – as gardeners clear silt and other detritus from their usual home.

Yesterday, around 25 of the fish – including Koi carp – were happily swimming around the well-aerated pool, set up in a shed at the Old Town gardeners’ base.

The move, which happens every year, and gives the green-fingered parish council workers a chance to clean out the pond.

Aaron Hedges, head gardener at Town Gardens, said his team had pumped 4,000 litres of sludge from the pond this week using two specialist pumps borrowed from Swindon Borough Council.

“We wash it out, we’ll put more planting in there and more fish back in,” he said. The fish, their numbers depleted this year by the efforts of a hungry heron, did not seem to mind their temporary move from the dark waters of the pond to the paddling pool.

Aaron said the pond had always been popular with families: “It’s the first place people go - there and the aviary.”

And with the famous Old Town park celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, the park keepers would also be installing a smartly repainted fountain and new pump. The fish should be back in the pond next week.

There was praise for South Swindon Parish Council, which took over the running of the park from Swindon Borough Council earlier this year. “I love it,” Arron said of working at Town Gardens. “It’s even better now the parish has taken over. They’re improving the park. They’re even better to work for.”

Rob Core, parish clerk, said: "We're trying to improve the park as much as we can." He said they were looking to plant wildflowers on bare patches beneath trees in the gardens.