A multi-million pound bypass looks likely to pave the way for a host of new recreation facilities for a nearby community.

Sports fields and changing rooms have been created during the construction of the £9m Chilton bypass which ploughed through the village's former football pitch.

More than £300,000 was spent repositioning the pitch and erecting a prefabricated building - designed to be secure and vandal proof - for use as changing rooms.

Last week the site, on West Chilton Terrace, was handed over to the community by the construction team from Durham County Council and Balfour Beatty.

There are hopes that the development will launch the extension of the site with more youth and sport facilities.

Chilton Town Council clerk, Paul Gray, said: "If they hadn't been pulled down our old changing rooms would have probably fallen down because they were old and heavily vandalised.

"This site is wonderful and hopefully it is just the start of more improved facilities.

"It should be a safe place for sports teams and young people to use, eventually there will be floodlights and CCTV.

"A section has been set aside for a multi-use games area, for games like basketball, and there could be other facilities created."

Councillor Eric Campbell, chairman of Chilton and Windlestone WMC football team, said the new pitch and changing rooms should boost community spirit.

"Our footballers are looking forward to getting on with the next season so we can use the new site - it is so much better than what we had before and we can be proud to host teams from other areas.

"Hopefully it will encourage more teams to get involved which is good for community spirit," he said.

Mayor Victor Collinson said 2005 had been an historic year for Chilton and the bypass, which opened in October, would lead to further investment and benefits for the area.

On Friday Coun Collinson thanked Durham County Council's residential engineer Ian Lambton and Balfour Beatty construction superintendent Joe McDonald for their dedication to the project with certificates and gifts.