A DALES estate has offered to double donations towards the restoration of a railway station.

Gunnerside Estate has pledged to match all money given to the Richmond Station Regeneration Project up to a total of £50,000.

Dave Dalton, a trustee of the project, said: "Local people have always given freely to the station project.

"Now they have even more of an incentive. Thanks to this brilliant initiative from the Gunnerside Estate, the value of individual and corporate donations to the project will be doubled.

"We launched an appeal when building work on the station started in August.

"We suggested that people could give £50 to buy a chair, £100 for a table or £200 for a cinema seat. Now we can tell supporters that their donations will pay for two chairs, two tables or two cinema seats."

All donations will be doubled until the £50,000 total has been reached.

A spokesman for the Gunnerside Estate, which has about 32,000 acres of land in Swaledale, said: "The project to restore Richmond's old station into a self-sustaining commercial and community centre will create a wonderful focal point for people living throughout Swaledale and much further afield.

"We are delighted that the station charity has been so successful in raising most of the funds to undertake this ambitious historic conversion, and are pleased to help the community with their final fundraising push by offering to double the next £50,000 of donations they receive."

The redevelopment of the Victorian station is expected to cost £2.5m.

When complete, the venue will have a restaurant, offices, workshops, a cinema, exhibition space and conference facilities.

Funding has been provided by Yorkshire Forward, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the EU.

Hundreds of private donors and charitable groups have contributed. Project leaders are hoping to raise the last £250,000 to repay loans before the building opens next year.

To make a contribution, send cheques to Richmond Station Building Preservation Trust, Freepost, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 1BR.

Cheques should be made payable to Richmond Station Building Preservation Trust.

Donations can also be made by calling 01748-850123 or at www. richmondstation.com