Campaigners were celebrating victory last night as a County Durham dock re-opened to fishermen.

Seaham Harbour's North Dock was closed to the public in October 1997, although the town's 600-strong angling club and the owners of small boats were still granted access.

But in 2001 the previous dock company owners banned all access to both the North Dock and North Pier, prompting the formation of the Seaham Harbour Access Committee (Sharc).

After a lengthy battle, victory came yesterday when the North Dock was re-opened to the public in a ceremony carried out by Easington District Council chairman, Councillor Joyce Maitland

The breakthrough had come in 2003 when the Victoria Group took over the dock company and expressed its willingness to negotiate.

A partnership was formed with the company, Sharc, the district council and Durham Heritage Coast and hundreds of thousands of pounds have already been spent on improving the dock and pier.

District council leader Alan Napier said: "The council has worked tirelessly to be chosen as one of the pilot local authorities to benefit from the Liveability Fund, a new funding regime to improve the environment for local people."

He said the authority would be carrying out consultations with the public to assess what should be provided at future stages to restore the North Dock to its former glory.

Speaking after the opening, the founder and chairman of Sharc, Norman Conn, who is a partner in the town's Rigs Angling Supplier business, said it had been a great day for Seaham.

"We were determined from day one to get back onto the North Dock and, thanks to everyone who has been involved, we are back home.''

Mr Conn said at the time of the closure there had been more than 600 members of the Seaham Sea Angling Club, but, during the dock's closure, the numbers had dropped to about 200.

He said: "But we are now standing at around 440 and that number will definitely increase with the re-opening of the North Dock."