A TOWN hall refurbishment project has been highly commended in a national environmental awards ceremony.

The scheme for Stokesley Town Hall received the accolade in the Community Indoor Amenity Category at the Biffaward Awards 2004.

The hall was built in 1853 and is a Grade II-listed building. A renovation and development plan was devised in 1999 because it needed disabled access, new electrical wiring, a heating system and safety exits.

A Biffaward grant of almost £67,000 contributed to the cost of restoring the building and helped to fund a lift, allowing disabled people access to the whole hall. Awards judge Martin Spray said the project should be commended.

"The town hall, a listed building built in the 1800s, had fallen into a very dilapidated condition," he said.

"The refurbishment has been to a very high quality and has provided a central and important facility."