A VILLAGE is to become pedestrian-friendly thanks to a £250,000 makeover.

Work will start in New Brancepeth on Monday to establish Durham County Council's second home zone - an area designated to give people priority over cars.

The village's unsurfaced street which serves Prospect and Edward Terraces is to be transformed with block paving, trees, shrub planters, lighting and signs.

The street will become one-way to traffic from the Hawthorne Terrace end.

"A home zone is a living street where cars don't dominate and people are more important,'' said Councillor Bob Pendlebury, county council cabinet member for the environment."

The work, which is expected to go on until the end of May, is being carried out by Service Direct, the county council's construction arm.

Funding for the £249,000 scheme comes from the county council's Local Transport Plan and Urban and Rural Renaissance programme, Durham City Council's Single Regeneration Budget, Durham Villages Partnership and Brandon and Byshottles Parish Council.

The county's first home zone was in Thornley.