A COUPLE who bought a derelict 140-year-old school without even seeing inside are about to open it as the region's newest creative arts centre.

Chris and Peter Hallett have taken two years and spent another £80,000 repairing and adapting the former National School at Cockfield, near Barnard Castle.

It now has a large exhibition hall, pottery studio, two art and craft rooms and a four-bedroomed home, following their massive do-it-yourself operation.

Mrs Hallett said: "For years, I dreamt about running a centre like this, and I can hardly believe that, after all our hard work, the dream is about to come true."

Mrs Hallett was an art teacher and her husband was an electrical contractor before they sold their house and sank every penny they had into the venture, which will be launched with a public art and craft weekend on October 16 and 17.

They lived in Blackpool, but Mrs Hallett was visiting a friend in the area when she drove past the school. It was due to be sold a few days later, so they bid £70,000 and bought it before seeing the interior.

Mr Hallett said: "We took a big risk but I wanted to make Chris's dream come true. We've been working day and night on it ever since, but now it is worth it."

They received a £6,000 grant from the Arts Council to help set up the area's first creative arts exhibition and teaching centre. It will offer classes in pottery, glass engraving and ceramics, as well as staging exhibitions.

Mr Hallett said: "We bought timber from a demolition site to lay floors that would have cost a fortune, and we paid £200 for a roll of material from which Chris made curtains that could have cost £5,000."

Apart from arts classes, they hope to hire out the hall for functions and weddings. They will start any other craft lessons that are requested.

The school closed years ago, but was later used as an old people's home, which shut down six years ago.

Mrs Hallett said: "Local people look on us as a crazy couple for taking this on.

"But we are now very happy as well as crazy."