EVEN though there is a record number of historic buildings on the list from the North-East, experts insist their efforts to save the important sites are paying off.

The publication of English Heritage's 2004 edition of the Buildings at Risk Register shows 94 entries have been safely removed and now have a secure future.

In the North-East, six sites have been removed from the list, but seven new ones have appeared, and the total now stands at 124 - up from 115 when it was first compiled in 1999.

The region is the only one of the nine in the country where this year's figure is higher than the original, but officials are not alarmed. Peter Bromley, director for English Heritage in the North-East said: "Even though we have one more building on the register than last year, the picture is still quite positive.

"Of the seven new entries, two have just recently been designated or upgraded.

"Also reassuring is the number of local authorities which are about to embark on compiling their own Buildings at Risk registers for Grade II buildings, including Alnwick, County Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle."

North Yorkshire has 65 sites out of a total of 133 throughout Yorkshire on the list - down from 176 five years ago.

The register lists nearly 1,500 of the nation's most vulnerable Grade I and II assets, and English Heritage said it was an invaluable measure of what the nation stood to lose if a future could not be found for them.

Chief executive Simon Thurley said: ''The nation's most important historic buildings should not have to reach such a state of decay before action is taken."

Among the North-East buildings which have been removed from the list are St Brandon's Church, in Brancepeth, County Durham, while new entries include Dunston Staithes, in Gateshead, the scene of a recent arson attack.

Grey Towers House, in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, is still on the register, but is classed as one of the region's success stories.

The 1865-built former sanatorium has been vacant for 20 years and suffered several vandal attacks, but is now being converted into apartments.

After one wrecking spree, wallpaper by Victorian designer E W Goodwin was uncovered and has now been rescued, restored and put on display at the nearby Dorman Museum.

Entries in the Buildings at Risk register include:

COUNTY DURHAM

CHESTER-LE-STREET

* Iron gates and railings, Lambton Castle, Little Lumley. Grade II*

* Lambton Castle, Little Lumley. Grade II*

Darlington

* Middridge Grange Farmhouse, Heighington. Grade II*

* Dovecvote, 45 metres east of Manor House, Houghton le Side. Grade II*

* Church of All Saints, Sockburn. Grade I

* Sockburn Hall, Sockburn. Grade II*

DERWENTSIDE

* Langley Old Hall, Burnhope

* Monastic Grange at Priory Farm, Muggleswick. Grade I

DURHAM

* West Range, Kepier Hospital, Belmont. Grade II*

* Hedleyhill Colliery Cokeworks, Brandon

* Durham Castle. Grade I

* Durham Prison Officers' Club. Grade II*

* Sherburn House Bridge, Sherburn.

SEDGEFIELD

* Clock tower, Windlestone Hall. Grade II*

TEESDALE

* Barforth Bridge. Grade II*

* Dovecote north of St Lawrence's Chapel, Barforth Hall. Grade II*

* Ruins of St Lawrence's Chapel, Barforth. Grade II*

* Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle. Grade I

* Dovecote, 45 metres south of Gainford Hall. Grade II*

* Gainford Hall. Grade I

* Folly, Bath House and Dutch Barn, Raby Park. Grade II*

* Gateway, Mortham Tower, Rokeby. Grade I

WEAR VALLEY

* West Mural Tower at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. Grade I

* Hunwick Hall, Crook. Grade II*

* Remains of Stockton and Darlington Railway, Etherley

* Brandon Walls Lead Mine, Stanhope

* Middle Level Lead Mine, Daddry Shield, Stanhope. Grade II

* Unthank Hall, Stanhope. Grade II*

* Low Silt Leadmine and Ore Works, Westgate

* Coke Ovens at Inkerman Farm, Tow Law

* Harperley Former PoW Camp

NORTH YORKSHIRE

CRAVEN

* Hellifield Pell, Hellifield. Grade II

* Dale End Mills, Dale End, Lothersdale. Grade II

HAMBLETON

* Aiskew Mill, Aiskew. Grade II*

* Crayke Castle, Crayke. Grade I

* The Coach House, East Rounton. Grade II*

* Landmoth Hall, Landmoth cum Catto

* West Lodge, Thornton Stud, Newsham with Breckenbrough. Grade II*

* Snape Castle, Snape with Thorp. Grade I

* Remains of walls to Upsall Castle. Grade II

* Stables at Harsley Castle Farmhouse, West Harsley. Grade II*

Harrogate

* Chapel of St Mary, Allerton Mauleverer with Hopperton. Grade II*

* Providence Smelt Mill, Bewerley

* Syningthwaite Priory Farmhouse, Bilton in Ainsty with Bickerton. Grade I

* Temple of Victory, Allerton Park, Flaxby. Grade II*

* Church of St Mary, Harrogate. Grade II*

* Royal Hall, Harrogate. Grade II*

* John of Gaunts Castle, Haverah Park

* Gates and railings at New Lodge, Kirby Hall Estate, Kirby Hall. Grade II*

* The Old Hall, Middleton Quernhow. Grade II

* Orangery, Ripley Castle. Grade II*

* Butterton Bridge, Sawley

* Dob Park Lodge, Weston

NORTH YORK MOORS

* Ruins of Whorlton Castle, Hambleton. Grade II*

* Whorlton Castle Gatehouse, Hambleton. Grade I

* Ionic Temple, Duncombe Park Estate, Helmsley, Ryedale. Grade I

* Duck Bridge, Danby, Scarborough. Grade II*

* Ayton Castle, West Ayton, Scarborough. Grade I

RICHMONDSHIRE

* Courthouse east of Colburn Hall, Colburn. Grade I

* The Old Gatehouse, Jervaulx Park, East Witton Out Parish. Grade I

* Ravensworth Castle and park wall. Grade I

* Cobscar Lead smelt mill, Redmire

Old Grandstand, Richmond. Grade II*

* Trinity Church Tower, Holy Trinity Church, Richmond. Grade I

* St Martins Priory Ruins, St Martins. Grade I

* Keld Heads lead smeltmill and mine complex, Preston-under-Scar, Wensley

RYEDALE

* Lime Kilns, Allerston. Grade II

* Wall of Cascade north of Ebberston Hall, Ebberston and Yedingham. Grade II*

* Yedingham Priory, Ebberston and Yeddingham. Grade II*

* Ray Wood Walls, pyramid, stray, mausoleum and bastion, Castle Howard Estate, Henderskelfe. Grade I

* Neville Castle site, Kirkbymoorside

* Screen wall north-west of Malton Lodge, Malton. Grade II*

* York House, Malton. Grade II*

* Sheriff Hutton Castle. Grade II*

* Slingsby Castle. Grade II

SCARBOROUGH

* Site of Manor House, Seamer. Grade II

* The Brewhouse, Whitby Abbey

* Wykeham Priory. Grade II

SELBY

* The Gatehouse, Bolton Percy. Grade II*

* Huddleston Hall, stables and chapel, Huddleston with Newthorpe. Grade II*

* Newton Kyme Castle remains, Newton Kyme cum Toulston. Grade II

* Abbot's Staith Buildings, Selby. Grade II*

* Womersley Park, adjoining coach house and stables. Grade II*

YORKSHIRE DALES

* Barden Church, Craven. Grade I

* Lead cupola, flue and chimney, Grassington, Craven

* Nappa Hall, Askrigg, Richmondshire. Grade I

* Coverham Abbey ruins, Coverham with Agglethorpe, Richmondshire. Grade I

* Gayle Mill, Gayle, Hawes, Richmondshire. Grade II*

* Sargill Ore Hearth Lead Smelt Mill, High Abbotside, Richmondshire

TEESSIDE

MIDDLESBROUGH

* Grey Towers house and wall, Poole Hospital, Nunthorpe. Grade II*

Redcar AND CLEVELAND

* Tockett's Mill, Guisborough. Grade II*

* Remains of Kilton Castle, Kilton, Lockwood. Grade I

* Bastion and ha-ha wall north of Kirkleatham Hall stables, Kirkleatham, Redcar. Grade II*

* Bastion north-west of Kirkleatham Hall stables. Grade II*

* Gatehouse north-east of Kirkleatham Hall stables. Grade II*

* Kirkleatham Hall stables. Grade II*

* Gate piers and entrance of Kirkleatham Hall School. Grade I

STOCKTON

* Phosphate Rock Silo (no 15) Haverton Hill, former ICI, Billingham. Grade II*

* Ruins of Church of St Thomas a Becket, Grindon. Grade I

* Church of the Holy Trinity, Stockton. Grade II*

TYNE AND WEAR

GATESHEAD

* Bowes Railway Incline and Black Fell Hauler House, Birtley

* Axwell Park, steps and balustrades to south, Blaydon. Grade II*

* Dunston Staithes. Grade II

* Haddon Tomb, St Mary's Churchyard, Heworth. Grade II*

* Ravensworth Castle and Nash House, Lamesley. Grade II*

* Old Hollinside Fortified Hall House, Whickham. Grade I

* Gibside, Rowlands Gill. Grade II*

* The Orangery, Gibside, Rowlands Gill, Whickham. Grade II*

* Stable Block, Gibside Estate, Whickham. Grade II*

* Whinfield Coking Ovens, Low Spen Farm, Whickham

* Dunston Hill Hospital, Whickham. Grade II*

NEWCASTLE

* Grainger Market. Grade I

* 2 Eldon Square. Grade II*

* South lodge, gateway and walls, Jesmond Cemetery. Grade II*

* The Red House, 32 Sandhill. Grade II*

* Derwent Water Chambers, 33 and 34 Sandhill. Grade II*

* 36, 38, 39 and 40 Sandhill. Grade II*

* 55 and 57 Westgate Road. Grade II*

* The New Tyne Theatre, Westgate Road. Grade I

* Woolsington Hall. Grade II*

SUNDERLAND

* F Pit Museum, Colliery Engine House, Washington. Grade II

* Track, wagon shop and associated sheds and structures, Bowes Railway, Washington