Funding will be used by a community group to create heritage interpretation boards and rebuild a former waiting room on a historic railway line.

Housebuilder Storey Homes has made a £15,000 contribution to the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The idea is to allow the local community to continue enjoying this important historical feature for years to come.

The remains of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which operated from 1825 to 1863, are close to Story Homes’ developments in Middleton St George.

Next year will mark 200 years since the opening of the railway and the donations will help the group to celebrate this milestone.

Although the £10,000 payment was not required to be made until next year, Story Homes chose to expedite the contribution to enable the group to make best use of the funds ahead of the bicentenary.

Richard Swann, North East Planning Manager at Story Homes, said: “We were delighted to provide a financial contribution to Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and support this local organisation in their bid to restore part of the former railway.

“At Story Homes we don’t just build houses, we build homes that are part of the wider community and as a responsible housebuilder, we ensure we’re adding to the local area rather than taking away from it.

“Helping to enhance the heritage of the areas in which we build is very important to us and we look forward to seeing the funding being used to benefit residents in the area.”

Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway was set up in 2013 by a group of people with a shared passion for railway heritage and a wealth of knowledge of the history of the line.

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Chairman Niall Hammond said: “The Friends of the S&DR warmly welcome this funding from Story Homes, facilitated by Darlington Borough Council, as a contribution to local environmental improvement associated with new housing.

“With less than a year to go until the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, support such as this is key to helping our wonderful volunteers continue to conserve and manage important sites such as the former Fighting Cocks station.

“Funding from Story Homes will help us conserve railway structures and provide interpretation for visitors and those in education.”