London Mayor of London Boris Johnson has applauded the �6m transformation of Rainham Marshes.

Mr Johnson said the improvements will act as a catalyst for attracting new businesses and jobs to the area.

He said he expects it will attract more than 100,000 visitors a year by 2012.

The funding was part of the Mayor’s plans to boost regeneration in London’s town centre.

Over �4m from the Mayor’s Great Outdoors Programme was spent restoring a section of the marsh close to Rainham Village to create a new walkway from the village to the marsh.

In the town centre the gardens of Rainham Hall have been completely restored and will be opened up for public use for the first time in 10 years.

In the High Street funding is being used to increase how the shopping area looks, widen footpaths, relieve congestion and create a predestrianised zone.

A �220,000 grant from the Mayor’s Outer London Fund has seen new Christmas decorations lighting up the area and shop fronts revamped to attract shoppers during the Christmas period.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “The work going on here in Rainham Village will bring a real boost to the local economy and is something that is being replicated in scores of other high streets and town centres right across the capital.

“London’s town centres and high streets are the secret weapon in our war against the economic down-turn. Using money from programmes like London’s Great Outdoors and my Outer London Fund I want to unleash their economic potential by making them more attractive, more accessible and more appealing to residents, businesses and visitors.”

Cllr Michael White, leader of Havering Council said: “This part of Havering is historic, green and quite unlike anywhere else in London. Havering Council is using funding from the Mayor to help make Rainham more attractive to visitors, more viable for local businesses and a better place to live for local people.”