NEW parking bays have been created to improve road safety in a village.

Durham County Councillors Ian Geldard and Pat Lawton each put £1,800 of their neighbourhood budget into the scheme at Byers Green, near Spennymoor.

The cash, allocated via Spennymoor Area Action Partnership (AAP), paid for a patch of grass alongside St Peter’s Church Hall, on Hagg Lane, to be replaced with red shale.

It enables around six cars to park next to the hall rather than on Church Street.

Church warden Jennifer Harbour said: “It is a simple scheme but would have taken us a long time to pay for and has made a big difference.

“It means visitors to the hall can park safely away from the road, it was getting quite dangerous especially when vehicles parked near a corner.”

A craft club, which meets at the hall on Tuesdays, from 2pm to 4pm, sells handmade items in aid of refurbishment of the hall.

A new floor and heating have already been installed, the main hall has been redecorated, the kitchen and toilets will soon be decorated and new blinds installed which will benefit a monthly film night.