A NOTORIOUSLY dangerous stretch of road between neighbouring villages, known locally as the mad mile, is to be made safe with £100,000 of funding.

After years of waiting for a footpath to be laid between Neasham and Hurworth, near Darlington, residents and parish councillors say they are overjoyed it is finally happening.

Darlington Borough Council has pledged the money to create a path linking the two villages, making it easier and safer for journeys to be made on foot.

The 800m path will form a link between the existing £40,000 traffic-calming Gateway scheme, introduced in Hurworth in 2001 and in Neasham the following year.

A further £25,000 is already set aside for the path as a condition made by the borough council last year following an application by Castlebeck Care to convert the Newbus Arms Hotel, Neasham, into a residential centre for autistic adults.

The development of the 1.8m-wide footpath forms part of the council's overall spending on road safety and highways improvements of almost £4m for this financial year.

The scheme was welcomed at this week's meeting of Hurworth Parish Council.

Councillor Peter Foster said: "Both Hurworth and Neasham have for a number of years, been trying to get this link. Children in Neasham could not walk to school in Hurworth in safety."

Councillor Nick Wallis, the borough council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "I know this footpath will make a real difference to road safety for the residents of Hurworth and Neasham who have to make this difficult journey along the road."

There is no start date yet for the building of the path.