WORK costing £50,000 to upgrade the footpaths in a Darlington park will be starting this week.

The Denes is the latest area to benefit from the borough council's £180,000 programme to upgrade and improve security in parks and cemeteries.

The work has included re-laying paths at North Park, North Cemetery, Eastbourne Park and Stanhope Park.

Maintenance work has also been carried out to improve the condition of footpaths in Sugar Hill Park and Green Park.

Benches have been installed in the parks and cemeteries, as well as bins for litter and dog waste.

A £100,000 scheme to introduce five closed-circuit television cameras in some parks and cemeteries, to help to reduce vandalism and improve safety is also under way.