A BOOK revealing how a North-East council reclaimed swathes of land decimated by industry was published on Monday.

Durham County Council mounted its land reclamation programme in 1954 and has since restored 22sq km - an area twice the size of Kie*der Reservoir - to agriculture, open space, woodland, footpaths, cycle paths and modern industrial use.

The operation is still the biggest of its kind ever mounted by a county council and the 40-page book, The Greening of the County, reveals how it was done.

In the Twenties, when coal mining was at its peak, there were 150 pits and 47 cokeworks in the Durham Coalfield. In 1951 there were still 70 collieries in County Durham, but by December 1993 none remained.

When the pits closed they were often left abandoned and derelict, incapable of beneficial use without treatment.

Since the land reclamation project was launched, more than 50m tonnes of colliery waste has been removed and more than 2m trees planted.

County council leader Ken Manton said: "For decades, the overriding image of County Durham in the minds of people from other parts of the country was one of industrial dereliction and a decaying coalfield. Thanks to the efforts of the county council's reclamation team, this is no longer true."

The book, priced £2.95, is available from county council libraries and local bookshops. It can also be ordered from the council on (0191) 383 4116 or (0191) 383 3454 with a £1 postage and packing charge.