A PLAIN square surrounded by houses in a historic part of Hartlepool has been revitalised by a regeneration project.

Regent Square on the Headland, which was previously a bland, grassed area surrounded by old railings, now has an improved appearance.

The new-look square will be unveiled tonight, at 6pm by the Mayor of Hartlepool, Stuart Drummond, and Tony Windebank, a board member of the North Hartlepool Partnership.

They will be joined by residents who formed their own Friends of Regent Square group to help the improvements to their area.

The central grassed area in Regent Square has been returfed and flower beds have been added.

Footpaths have been laid across it, leading to a central point featuring a plinth, on which there is a stone sculpture of a fisherman and cormorant.

The sculpture was specially commissioned from Yorkshire artist Mike Disley and the design was chosen by residents of Regent Square to reflect the Headland's seafaring heritage.

The old railings have been removed and replaced with new Victorian-style ones. There is also improved lighting with the addition of two Victorian-style lampposts.

The scheme has been funded by the North Hartlepool Partnership, and is part of a larger £300,000 project which has improved a total of three squares in the area.

Additional funding for the Regent Square improvements came from English Heritage, which gave more than £59,000 to cover the cost of new railings, and £500 came from Hartlepool Borough Council's Pride in Hartlepool initiative, which paid for hanging baskets on the lampposts and bulb planting in the square.

Mr Drummond said: "I am very pleased the residents have played a lead role in this transformation of their area.

"I'm sure Regent Square's new look will bring pleasure not only to local people but to visitors to the Headland."