TWO hugely successful events during an historic weekend have underlined Wear Valley's fightback from devastating job losses.

The reopening of the Weardale Railway -- more than half a century after it closed to passengers - created a carnival atmosphere on Saturday.

And the good news for the area continued yesterday when thousands of people turned out for the Great North Walk, starting and finishing at Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland.

Together the two occasions proved that the area, which lost more than 800 jobs between January 2002 and June last year, is bouncing back.

Government Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong, MP for North-West Durham, officially opened the railway. She said: "What a great weekend for Wear Valley.

"It is all about saying this is a great place to live, work, spend your holidays."

The railway is expected to attract 90,000 visitors a year supporting the surrounding tourism industry. And, with extensions to Eastgate then to Bishop Auckland to come, it will link up with the main line at Darlington by 2007.

On Saturday, hundreds of well-wishers turned out to witness the return of a passenger service for the dale, from Stanhope Station, through Frosterley to Wolsingham.

Sir William McAlpine, chairman of Weardale Railway Ltd, said: "This is the first five miles of 19 miles and three of nine stations we will eventually reopen.

"It is a major project which when completed will place Weardale Railway as one of the three longest privately owned railways in Britain and we aim to make it the best."

The party atmosphere continued yesterday as more than 4,000 people took part in the Traidcraft Great North Walk.

As well as pulling people into the area, the walk is the headline event in a campaign aimed at helping the district with another of its major battles - to improve the health of its residents.