A RIVERSIDE park, new boat moorings and footpaths created under Evesham's regeneration scheme have helped catapult the initiative into the running for three national awards.

The town's regeneration project - Rediscovering Evesham's River Heritage - has been selected as a finalist in three categories of the 2006 Waterways Renaissance Awards.

The awards, established by the Waterways Trust and the British Urban Association, seek to recognise and encourage the best practice in sustainable waterway development and regeneration throughout the UK.

The Area Based Regeneration category is hotly contested each year and this year Evesham faces competition for the award from a Manchester redevelopment.

The Recreation and Tourism category aims to recognise a project that best enhances the use and enjoyment of inland waterways as a recreational and/or visitor resource and the Partnership category is for projects where public, private and community groups have worked together to achieve success for the regeneration schemes.

Wychavon's town centre manager, Lew Hammond, said: "I will be delighted if we win as we are up against the big boys in Manchester so for a small market town to win it will just be incredible.

"I am optimistic and excited at the prospect of winning and feel we really deserve it."

The project has also gained recognition for its support for passenger and hire boat businesses and river-based festivals which are helping to improve the perception of the river, which is now regarded as the town's greatest asset.

In the same week the finalists were announced, representatives from the Market Towns Initiative met to celebrate achievements of the programme so far.

Since the programme began in 2000, Advantage West Midlands, one of nine regional development agents, has invested almost £30 million in regeneration activities across the region.

s Members of the Market towns Initiative with their awards are, from left, Mark Pearce, Advantage West Midlands, David Noyes, chairman of Evesham Market Town Partnership, Hilary Philpott, Pershore market town manager, Lew Hammond, Wychavon market town manager, John Lles, chairman of Opportunity Bewdley, Gordon Dwyer, market town manager of Opportunity Bewdley and David Gregory from BBC Birmingham.