LANGUAGE should no longer be a barrier for people trying to use county council services.

North Yorkshire County Council is making access to services easier for residents whose first language is not English through a telephone translation service.

The service has been introduced to improve race relations and overcome language barriers. In seconds it connects callers to a translator.

The service is provided by Language Line, which offers more than 150 languages. It uses qualified translators to provide a confidential service.

Executive member for corporate affairs Carl Les said: "We want to reduce any communication barriers and make sure that everyone in the community can access our services easily."