A medieval lake is to undergo the final stage of a £1.7 million restoration project to safeguard its survival for future generations.

The second phase of work to revive Swanbourne Lake in Arundel starts next month.

An excavator will be floated on a barge to dredge silt and increase the depth to 1.5m.

To protect the lake's ecology, the dredging is being undertaken in two phases, with the final phase due to start in April and be completed by August.

The two-year rescue plan for the lake, set in the parkland of Arundel Castle, has been worked out by the Environment Agency and Southern Water.

The lake is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty, attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year and is an important wildlife site.

It was the subject of John Constable's last great oil painting, Arundel Mill And Castle.

However, over the last decade it has dried out completely during summer droughts.

Without the rescue work it would keep drying up and eventually disappear altogether.

Project manager Malcolm Ayres said: "Following the success of the first phase of the dredging last year, Southern Water is looking forward to completing the project which will ensure this important lake, which dates back to the Domesday Book, is restored as an important tourist and recreation area."

The dredged material, which is rich in nutrients, is being used on nearby agricultural land on the Arundel Estate.

The scheme has been timed to balance the impact on wildlife and ecology of the lake with the practicality of spreading the silt on the land.