Number 10 may be plagued by leaks but a Sussex water gardener is sure they have not come from the Downing Street pond.

Ashington-based Martin Kelley created the water feature for Tony Blair but went unnoticed when it was unveiled to the Press.

Mr Kelly, of M W Kelley Water Gardens, said: "We weren't mentioned anywhere."

His staff literally did the spade work on the famous feature, digging the hole for the pond and creating a shingle beach and water pumps.

Contract manager Tim Field even chatted to the Prime Minister and his then pregnant wife while he worked at the site.

Mr Kelley said he was not surprised he did not receive publicity from the prestige project.

He said: "We were the backroom boys. We did all the bits people don't see."

Staff from the firm started working on the pond in April, passing through foot thick security doors and lines of police protection every day.

They received the contract from Julie Toll, a landscape designer who has worked with Mr Kelley in the past.

The Number 10 pond was not the first prestige project taken on by the firm. It has already created an ornamental lake for golfer Nick Faldo.

Mr Kelley said: "We do anything from a patio pond to a lake.

"We've worked for lots of sirs and ladies and wealthy businessmen."