Watford’s elected mayor has revealed she has received a pond-related “death threat” over her ambitions to redevelop the top of the town centre.

Dorothy Thornhill said an anonymous emailer had written warning her to not touch the water-feature in The Parade “or else”.

The revelation came at a public briefing held by the Liberal Democrat, who has won three terms as mayor, to members of the public about developments in Watford.

At the meeting in Watford Town Hall she told the audience about the £4m plans, which will be the subject of a public consultation later this year, to redevelop The Parade .

She said: “I have already had my first death threat, and it was from someone who went to great lengths to hide their email address.

“It said ‘hands off our pond or else’.”

Mayor Thornhill said she thought it would stay, but said it was up to the people of Watford to decide the fate of The Parade.

She added: “It is important we have a debate rather than keep it as it is.”

The pond is a natural water feature that’s been in Watford since the 1800s, while the town centre has developed around it.

It sits at the top area of the town which the council has earmarked for £4.3m refurbishment, to turn it into a “civic space”.

At the briefing today Mayor Thornhill stressed that it was up to the people of Watford to decide how, if at all, the regeneration project would go.

She added: “We have agreed to put £4.5m of budget money in the bank as an earmarked reserve, like a tag saying ‘town centre refurbishment’.

“After the consultation, if by some dint of fate the population say they want to leave it as is and we don’t want it to change, then the tag comes off and we spend it somewhere else.

“One thing I will say about the top of the town, and I have no other argument than this, it has to be better.

“Why? Because, to use a cliché, you’re worth it.”