A MUCH missed country pub is to be revived by new owners.

The Comet, at Hurworth Place, closed in February, but now new landlords have vowed to restore it in time for the summer.

The pub, set next to the river Tees on the North Yorkshire-County Durham border, has changed hands several times in the past few years, but the new owners hope to make a success of the latest revamp.

Sue and Ian Kemble, who own the award-winning Fighting Cocks at Middleton St George, plan to reopen The Comet in June.

"We're going to start work on The Comet within the next two or three weeks," said Mrs Kemble.

"We're planning to have a traditional English menu, specialising in pies and savoury puddings. And I've dug out lots of old-fashioned recipes to use.

"We'll be giving it a bit of a facelift, but we're not going overboard.

"It's in a great location and I can't see why it hasn't worked in the past.