A FORMER councillor has chronicled the history and development of Crewe's Queens Park with his latest book which completes his trilogy about the town.

'Queens Park Crewe: History, Myths and Legends' proved a labour of love for Howard Curran, whose lengthy council service included a stint as portfolio holder for the park on the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.

Howard, 85, says his book which traces the park's development from its conception right through to modern times is based on working class and nostalgic history.

It explains the uniqueness of the park, known fondly as the 'Jewel in the Crown' of Crewe, as well as it trials and tribulations during its existence.

And it brings to life the vivid colour of the park's landscaped gardens, set in serpentine paths, which are more usually associated with stately homes gardens.

Barren farmland, a gasworks and a slag tip with a polluted river were transformed into a masterpiece of a park over 20 acres.

And Howard tell how planners made clever use of the river to form the park's lake and how different restoration grants have brought Queens Park back from almost the point of oblivion after years of neglect.

"The book is the final one in my trilogy and I thought it should follow the same format as the previous books, so it is based on working class and nostalgic history," explained Howard.

"I notice that in some quarters of the town's population it is becoming known as the people's park. Not for one minute could I argue with that sentiment as that is exactly what its construction meant to the townspeople.

"I wanted to show how people appreciated and admired the pure beauty of the park. Shedding light on its hidden past I believed will help everyone to understand fully what that meant to Crewe.

"Our forefathers endeavoured to construct a park where people could freely mix and relax to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquil environment that had been created."

Over the years Howard, who was born and bred in Crewe, has used his acquired knowledge to give scores of illustrated lectures on both the town and park, raising over £30,000 for national and local charities in the process.

He was familiar face in the council chamber, elected as councillor on the former borough council in 1988 and serving as Mayor of the Borough in 2006.

Howard has previously written two books about Crewe and its history, tracing its changes and development. His first, 'Crewe Pubs (Images of England)', was published in 2004 and his second 'Crewe: The Twentieth Century' was published in 2012.

'Queens Park Crewe: History, Myths and Legends' is produced to a high standard in paperback, with 128 pages of colour and monochrome illustrations.

It could be an ideal Christmas gift and Howard has an offer price (£14.99) on at the moment.

If you would like on he can be contacted via 25 Sunnybank Road, Crewe, by phone on 01270 214077 or by email [email protected] . Postage and packing is available at £3 extra per book (UK only).