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Officials grilled on Diana memorial
 The fountain, designed by Kathryn Gustafson, officially opened in July last year. RELATEDYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England -- British officials involved in the problem-plagued fountain built in memory of Princess Diana have been questioned on why the project went over budget by £2.2 million ($3.9 million) and ended up looking like a "muddy bog." The initial cost of the monument in London's Hyde Park was set at £3 million but following a run of problems, the figure rose to £5.2 million, the Public Accounts Committee heard. Dame Sue Street, the top official at the Department For Culture Media and Sport, and Royal Parks chief executive Mark Camley were called before the parliamentary committee to answer questions about the troublesome tourist attraction. Chairman Edward Leigh brought up the overspend, adding: "Why did it end up like a muddy bog after the first couple of weeks?" Camley said the large numbers of visitors had not been anticipated and a major storm shortly after the opening in July 2004 had caused added problems. Dame Sue said they had not realised how popular it was going to be. The granite moat -- designed by Kathryn Gustafson -- was officially opened during a ceremony in July last year attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Diana's sons Princes William and Harry and Diana's brother Earl Spencer. Since it opened, the monument --completed seven years after Diana's death -- has been beset with problems. It was blocked by fallen leaves the day after it opened, suffered a broken pump, and had to be closed two weeks later when tourists slipped over while paddling. Health and safety experts were called in, and the fountain in was switched off and its stone surfaces roughened to improve the grip. It later reopened and new rules were introduced, including banning people from walking in the ring of flowing water. The memorial was closed again in January this year and new repairs ordered when the area around the fountain turned into a mud-bath. The new additions -- estimated to have cost up to £300,000 ($572,000) -- include a robust, hard-wearing rye grass turf, normally used on sports pitches, to replace existing waterlogged grass. The gray-green resin-bonded path has also been lengthened by about 250 meters (yards), drainage at the site enhanced, and metal bars placed underneath the bridges to prevent debris getting trapped. 
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