A COMMUNITY turned out in force to help their neighbourhood bloom this spring.

Residents of the Dean Bank area, Ferryhill, mounted a tidy-up and planted spring bulbs along the roadside, focusing on the corner of Sieman's Street and Merrington Road.

Pupils from Dean Bank Primary School, members of Dean Bank Residents' Association, the environment forum, local Scouts and Brownies and staff from Barclays Bank joined the effort.

Volunteers were rewarded with a Christmas party at the Literary Institute in Dean Bank.

The event was funded by grants from Barclays SiteSavers and the County Durham Foundation.

Stephen Armstrong, project officer at Groundwork East Durham, said: "Lots of hard work went into transforming the site last year and we want to keep it that way for the whole community to enjoy. Come the spring, the area will look lovely."