THE final touches have been put in place for a Millennium facelift in Guisborough.

A ceremony marked the end of the first phase of major works to revamp the High Street. It also signified a first for Redcar and Cleveland Council as recycled top soil is being used to plant new flower beds and tree surrounds.

This is the first time such soil has been used in grounds maintenance work by the authority.

The council has re-laid 35,000 cobbles from the Black Swan to the Sunnyfield House Community Centre in Westgate. Two new bus shelters and six cycle stands have also been put up and a bus layby improved.

The top soil came from the civic amenity site and was processed for use by Tees Waste Management.

Lead councillor for environment and infrastructure, Coun Sylvia Szintai, said: "By recycling material from our amenity site, we have improved our recycling figures and with Tees Waste Management have produced a useable product for use in ground maintenance work."

A £250,000 scheme to lift and relay the cobbles started in February but work has now stopped for the summer. It will resume on September 11 and run until November.

Guisborough Business Association chairman, Stan Frank, said traders had been pleased with the way the work had gone.

"Some shops have suffered through loss of access and it is important we have this summer recess. But the work will make the town safer for shoppers and better for shops," he said