A TOWN council has been commended for restoring a rare fence and garden at one of its public buildings.

Guisborough Town Council received one of this year's Redcar and Cleveland Design Awards for the restoration work at Sunnyfield House, in Westgate.

Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Guisborough Market Town Partnership, the rare grade II-listed chinoiserie fence and garden once again reflect a typical 18th Century town house.

The deputy mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Alma Thrower, presented the award last Thursday.

Councillor Graham Bishop, vice-chairman of the town council, said he felt the project had dramatically improved the street scene along Westgate.

He expressed his thanks and paid tribute to everyone who had contributed towards the successful completion of the project.

The town council also received a commendation for the Bakehouse Square project, a small park in the centre of Guisborough, which has been landscaped and the footpath re-aligned.