A £2M programme to improve a rundown shopping centre started in earnest this week.

Supermarket chain Asda is treating the Newgate Centre, in Bishop Auckland, to a facelift following its move last November to a £15m store at the opposite end of Newgate Street.

Work has begun on refitting the former Asda store at the rear of the centre in preparation for a new tenant taking over on March 1.

The name of the new occupant has not been announced, but speculation has pointed to homes and gardens chain Wilkinson, which has said it would welcome an opportunity to open in the town.

Earlier this week, work began to remove travelators and concrete ramps between the ground floor and roof car park.

Bishop Auckland College is moving from its second floor site to another floor and its present unit will be divided to form a public toilet block and an office for the centre manager.

Details of the full programme, which is expected to be completed by the end of May, are on display in the contractor's site office.