ALMOST 800 households have given their views on the future of Weardale, in the wake of job losses and the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

A Task Force set up following last year's shut down at Lafarge UK's Blue Circle Cement Works, in Eastgate, ended a six-month consultation period on Tuesday.

Wear Valley District Council has collected more than a fifth of the 4,000 questionnaires sent out in the dale and is now evaluating the responses.

Task force chairman John Hamilton has pledged to read all the opinions expressed by people on the form and report to the next meeting on October 22.

He said: "We have had an amazing response.

"To get over 20 per cent is very good. I think people are very positive and support what we are trying to achieve.

"I will look at all the comments and include a summary of all the views expressed in the final document, which will be launched in November.

"What is important is that we achieve something that will benefit the whole dale. It will be exciting and challenging.

"The most important thing for Weardale is that we cannot afford to do nothing."