A £700,000 regeneration scheme to help restore a North-East beauty spot to its former glory has been completed.

To mark the improvements at Crimdon Park and Dene, County Durham, a series of events have been organised - ranging from Shakespeare to a brass band concert.

Work began at the once-popular holiday spot 18 months ago and includes the creation of wetland areas, the removal of unsightly concrete water channels and the installation of seating areas and attractive bridges across the burn.

In addition, the 6.5-acre car park has been returned to natural grassland, with hills and paths created by land artist Keith Barrett.

There is also a network of access paths winding through the sand dunes protecting the delicate ecosystem, which is home to nesting little terns.

The work has been funded by the Millennium Commission, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, the District of Easington, the Countryside Agency and the Durham Heritage Coast partnership.

To celebrate the conclusion of the project, a five-day programme of open-air events will begin tomorrow, and will finish on Sunday.

Each evening, there will be a production in the dene of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed by the Mad Alice Theatre Company.

There will be performances of the play each evening beginning at 7.30pm from tomorrow until Sunday.

A gala brass band concert is to be held on Saturday, starting at 2pm, and featuring award-winning brass bands from Fishburn and Easington Colliery.

On Sunday, beginning at noon, there will be a community carnival.