PEOPLE living near an ongoing £480,000 revamp of a town centre say the work is affecting their day-to-day lives with holes, noise and traffic congestion.

Some residents in the centre of Crook have christened the town the Blackpool of the North, due to the number of excavators' lights and temporary traffic lights in recent weeks.

They are also concerned at the number of holes, which have appeared and are yet to be filled in, during the latest phase of work to transform the town with new paving, footpaths and lighting.

The project is part of a Durham County Council urban and rural renaissance initiative to improve the centre of Crook, and is due to last for 16 weeks.

It will see North Terrace narrowed to make it one-way, a link road created at the top of Hope Street and coloured flood-lighting installed around the war memorial.

But residents are increasingly unhappy about the holes, constant noise of machinery and traffic trouble, which at one point has seen five sets of temporary traffic lights between Crook and nearby Willington.

One of the concerned residents is Dave Parker, from High Jobs Hill, who said: "There are a lot of aged miners' homes around here and it can be quite dangerous.

"They dug a lot of holes in the first week but few of them have been filled in.

"They have put some steel sheets down, but there are heavy winds and the boards are that light that they end up in the hole.

"That leaves them exposed and they have been for some time."

The work is funded by the county council and Wear Valley District Council, with support from One NorthEast and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Contractors Service Direct started work on January 9.

A county council spokeswoman said that the current phase of work was the latest in a major action plan to create a more shopper-friendly environment.

She added: "There will be a little bit of disruption but the whole aim is to enhance the town and provide a high quality space.

"That's been the theme throughout the work."