A COMMUNITY'S 20-year campaign for a first-class recreational area officially came to an end with the unveiling of a new Millennium green.

Two schoolgirls took centre stage as residents of East Thirsk saw the town's new green area opened.

Chloe Smith and Caroline Gabbott unveiled an engraved boulder on the green, which is made up of a network of footpaths and a kickabout area. New trees and shrubs have been planted, the beck cleared and an improved footbridge installed on the 3.7 acres of land.

And at the centre of the green is a mosaic, made by local people under the guidance of Rural Arts North Yorkshire and depicting the town's landmarks.

The £56,000 project, co-ordinated by the Thirsk Millennium Green Trust, was funded by Hambleton District Council, the Countryside Commission, Thirsk Rotary Club and Yorventure.

Trust chairman and district councillor Jan Marshall, said: "The Millennium green is the realisation of a dream and the people of Thirsk have waited 20 years for it to become available.

"The trustees had always maintained that we would have it established and opened in the new Millennium year and we have achieved that, so we are highly delighted."

The need for such an area was established in 1980, but Hambleton Council could only purchase the site, in the centre of a housing estate, two years ago.

The trust was formed in 1996 to lodge a bid for funding from the Countryside Commission, which developed the Millennium green concept.