A COMMUNITY turned out in force to beat the winter blues by preparing their neighbourhood to bloom in spring.

Residents of the Dean Bank area in Ferryhill, mounted a tidy up operation and planted spring bulbs along the roadside, focusing their efforts on the corner of Sieman's Street and Merrington Road.

Pupils from Dean Bank Primary School, members of Dean Bank Residents' Association, the Environment Forum, Scouts, Brownies and staff from Barclays Bank joined the effort.

After the event, volunteers were rewarded with a Christmas party, held at the Literary Institute in Dean Bank.

The community spring clean was funded by Barclays Bank SiteSavers fund and the County Durham Foundation.

Stephen Armstrong, project officer at Groundwork East Durham, said: "Lots of hard work went in to transforming the site last year and we want to keep it that way for the whole community to enjoy.

"Come the spring, the area will look lovely."