Disruption is expected in Bedale town centre for the next six weeks as a major £50,000 scheme begins to repair and replace ancient cobbles.

Specialist contractors are due to start the work on behalf of North Yorkshire Highways today (Monday, October 7) and it will involve sectioning off parts of the central market place cobbles on the western side, for up to a week at a time.

Hambleton district councillor John Noone said: “We know it’s going to cause delays and problems for people, but it is certainly needed. In that area of the market place you have holes and places where the cobbles are loose and uneven.

“If you leave things for too long it becomes a major work ,rather than patching it up and keeping it even. It will mean a bit of disruption for traders and nuisance for local people but it is worth it in the end.

"We need to keep it attractive for visitors and residents alike. The cobbles are such an important part of the town, it’s been a cobbled market place for generations."

The work will cause problems for the weekly market on Tuesday but traders will operate around the work.

Further work on the eastern side of the market place is due to be carried out next year.