PHOTO SPECIAL: Your pictures and memories of Peterborough's Ferry Meadows to mark 40 years

PHOTO GALLERY: Your pictures of Ferry Meadows

One such story came from a Peterborough husband and wife.

Andrew Kimber had lined up the perfect proposal for his girlfriend Joanna, with a walk at Ferry Meadows before going down on one knee. But there was a slight hitch.

As Joanna explained: “I’m stubborn - it was Christmas Eve and we were going to visit my auntie and uncle in Norfolk.

“Me being me, I wanted to go in the car and go for a walk when we arrived. He wanted to go for a walk before.

“My parents said ‘go for a walk now’ as they knew what he was planning. He eventually gave in, but the plan had been to propose in Ferry Meadows. So I messed it up!

“We got to my auntie and uncle’s and went for a walk in East Dereham. We were in an old windmill and he went down on one knee there.”

Ferry Meadows is a special place for Joanna so it was inevitable that when the couple married at Orton Gospel Hall, Malborne Way, in 2012, they had their wedding photos taken at the country park.

Husband and wife have since moved to Somerset where they live with four-year-old daughter Kezia, but Joanna was one of many people to get in touch following last week’s Peterborough Telegraph article on Ferry Meadows celebrating its 40th birthday this year.

Many of the photos sent in by our readers brilliantly capture the magnificent scenery and attractions of Ferry Meadows through all four seasons.

Proud parents have also sent in photos of their children enjoying themselves at the country park.

Joanna, who was born just a few months after Ferry Meadows first opened, also has many fond memories of visiting the family attraction

She went to Orton Longueville School (now Nene Park Academy) which is very close to Ferry Meadows.

She recalled: “When I moved to Orton Longueville I was 8. Ferry Meadows was on the doorstep practically. I use to go for picnics, I used to jog around, go boating and, when it had the beach, I went there.

“It was the go-to place when you were children. There were such nice and varied walks, I took bikes around there and I went to Firework Fiesta.

“It was a huge piece of my life.”

Ferry Meadows was visited more than 1.2 million times last year. To celebrate its 40th birthday this year the Nene Park Trust, which manages it, has organised a cultural festival on June 30 and July 1 and an activity weekend on September 1 and 2.

Further information will be revealed at www.nenepark.org.uk and the trust’s social media channels.