A COMMUNITY braved the bleak weather by turning out in force to start transforming a derelict strip of land into a sports pitch.

Families living in North Bitchburn, near Crook, cleared rubbish and overgrown weeds from a field next to the village cricket ground on Saturday.

The land will be flattened and grass laid, so that a five-a-side football pitch can be created for youngsters in the area.

The scheme is the first project of the North Bitchburn Community Association ,and it is already helping to pull the community together.

Founder member Christine Nevins said: "The village is starting to grow and young families are moving in. For a long time there weren't many children, but now there are about 30.

"We wanted to provide somewhere for them to go and enjoy themselves. There isn't much here, and it isn't easy to get into Crook or Bishop Auckland. But with a new pitch for ball games the cricket ground area will become the heart of the village.

"The weather was horrible and may have put a few people off, but around 20 people still turned out to help clear the site."

Wear Valley District Council provided a skip to remove rubbish and agreed to help level the ground after calls from councillors to tidy up the site.