Worthing park now has a solar-powered food dispenser for guests to feed wildlife - at a cost of £1

At a cost of £1, people can make use of the new facility – which will also ‘benefit the popular park in the long run’, according to Worthing Borough Council.

A social media notice explained: “Visitors to Brooklands Park can now feed its wildfowl responsibly, while also benefiting the popular park in the long run, thanks to the introduction of a new solar-powered dispenser.

“We’ve teamed up with The Feed Ducks Initiative to install a feed dispenser next to the old boating dock beside the park’s lake, where we know visitors of all ages love to get a great view of the birds and treat them to some food.

“The dispenser aims to reduce bread feeding, which is harmful for ducks and swans and also pollutes the lake – a problem caused by uneaten bread rotting and producing algae blooms.”

The council said the dispenser – ‘which is made from recycled plastics’ – aims to reduce bread feeding.

"[This] is harmful for ducks and swans and also pollutes the lake – a problem caused by uneaten bread rotting and producing algae blooms,” the council added.

"For a £1 contactless payment, the machine will dispense a handful of feed that’s safe for the birds and our precious lake. The nutritious feed is made from wheat, soya beans, maize and barley and dispensed to hand to save on waste.

“The new machine has been installed at no cost to us, and we’ve arranged for the initiative to donate ten per cent of its proceeds to the Friends of Brooklands Park, whose volunteers will be able use the funds to help make Brooklands Park a better place to visit.”

The council said it hopes visitors enjoy the dispenser and ‘join us in making Brooklands Park and its lake a healthier and cleaner place for wildlife’.