The little-known Lasham Drain could provide a third option in the saga surrounding the future of Kings Pond in Alton.

This underground stream was mentioned during the first meeting of the Kings Pond community and stakeholder focus group at Alton Town Hall on July 2.

Current proposals are to improve the pond, through which the River Wey flows, by dredging silt from it, or to improve the river by separating it from the pond, removing the man-made pond’s source of water.

But diverting the Lasham Drain - which emerges at Waterside Court and possibly runs under the High Street and community centre - through the pond could solve both problems at once.

Resident Tim Pinchen said: “The Lasham Drain has a volume of water a quarter that of the River Wey.

“It’s pure spring water and it’s a source of water which most people don’t know about. It could be at the right level to divert into Kings Pond.

“It would increase the flow and reduce the sediment, and because it’s cold water it would decrease nutrification. We may also be able to raise the weir slightly.

“If water can be diverted through Kings Pond it could be another option. We might not need to divert the River Wey as it would make it self-cleaning with the increased flow, and not keep silting up, if we can economically divert it into a suitable place and flush it through. But don’t get your hopes up.”

Cllr Don Hammond, who led the first meeting of the group pending the election of a chairman, said: “We’re researching that because that water could be useful.”

Dr June Chatfield, who has been involved with Kings Pond since 1984 and wrote its first management plan in 1985, added: “I’ve never known the Lasham Drain to dry up, but the source of the River Wey does.”