WORK has begun on a £150,000 project to turn a popular forest into an international mountain biking centre.

New cycling trails are being constructed in Hamsterley Forest, Teesdale, in a bid to help the North-East compete with Scotland and Wales in the cycle tourism market.

The project is a result of a two-year partnership between local tourism association Teesdale Marketing and mountain bike club Hamsterley Trailblazers.

Already £150,000 funding has been pledged from public and private sources for the first phase of development and it is hoped more funding will be announced in the next few weeks.

Teesdale Marketing's chairman, Bill Oldfield, said he believed the Hamsterley cycle trails could have a tremendous effect on tourism.

He said: "We envisage that within a few years the trails will be spoken of in the same breath as other leading North-East attractions like Beamish, Hadrian's Wall and Alnwick Castle and Gardens.

"We aim to provide an international standard cycle centre that will compete with, and complement, other UK centres of excellence.

"We want to position this beautiful part of County Durham as an attraction of national significance, one that will attract not only local riders, but will bring riders and their families and friends from throughout Britain and overseas."

The cycle trails will dovetail into the Coast to Coast cycle route through Teesdale, which opens on June 1.

Alongside the cycle trails and skills training area, a new Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre is also being planned.

Sue Berresford, tourism officer for Teesdale District Council, said: "We believe the cycle facilities at Hamsterley have the potential to be the best in England and the project aligns exactly with the Government's objectives of promoting good health, sport, countryside access and regeneration.

"It is difficult to imagine a more worthwhile or welcome initiative, and the really great thing is that it was initiated by, and is actively supported by, the mountain bikers themselves - a true 'bottom up' development."

Oliver Graham, who is helping manage the project on behalf of Hamsterley Trailblazers and Groundwork West Durham, said: "This will be fantastic.

"It's a significant investment and hopefully it will encourage more people to participate."

Hamsterley Trailblazers heard yesterday they had also received an extra £25,000 from the Living Spaces Fund, which brings the total amount of investment to £175,000.

It is anticipated the extra cash will be spent on a picnic area and shelter at the new skills area.