A WELL-used footpath in a former colliery village is getting a makeover.

The Battery Path at Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street, is being improved as part of a wider tidy-up of the village.

The £20,000 project is led by Pelton Fell Community Partnership and Groundwork North East and is funded by Durham County councillors Linda Marshall and Simon Henig through their neighbourhood budgets.

Entrance features and seating designed by local artist Jim Roberts and the local community have been installed on the path in the latest development.

Groundwork North-East senior project officer Lynne Miller said: “It was formerly a railway line that linked to the colliery and when the colliery closed a tarmac strip installed.

“As part of the project some entrance finger post signs have been done for each end of the path and a couple of seats designed with members of the community were installed today.

“The seats look over where the colliery used to be and an interpretation board will be installed with information about the colliery.”