REPAIRS to a beauty spot dating back to prehistoric times have been completed by apprentices.

Horcum Dyke, on the North York Moors, had suffered erosion from the sheer number of visitors it receives.

The Scheduled Ancient Monument is a prehistoric boundary, consisting of a bank and ditch, which runs along the eastern edge of the Hole of Holcum, which lies next to the Pickering to Whitby road.

The project involved repair and consolidation to the surface of the dyke, carried out by the North York Moors National Park's Modern Apprentice scheme.

To limit visitor pressure on specific areas, access to the dyke from the nearby car park has been channelled into three routes. Other paths have been repaired and closed off.

Graham Lee, national park archaeological conservation officer, said: "The project has enabled us to provide sustainable access to Horcum Dyke, so that people can continue to enjoy the area without causing damage to this ancient monument."

The apprenticeship scheme provided eight youngsters with a grounding in countryside management.

The apprentices, aged 16 to 24, are paid a training allowance and undertake a course for 12 to 15 months. They spend most of their time learning practical skills working alongside experienced people in the outdoor environment of the moors.