PLANS to reinstate a Weardale rail line have been given a £990,000 boost by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The railway, currently mothballed, was built in 1847 as an extension to the first public railway in the world, the Stockton & Darlington line.

Weardale Railway Ltd (WRL), the not-for-profit company behind the £5.5m scheme, plans to restore the heritage line to full working order over the next five years.

It will start with a steam-hauled service this summer between Stanhope and Wolsingham and later extend services to Bishop Auckland and Darlington to provide a tourist link and service to communities in the dale.

Hilary Armstrong, MP for North-West Durham, was due at Stanhope station today to celebrate the grant. She said it was a great boost to the hardworking volunteers.

Keith Bartlett, Heritage Lottery Fund regional manager, said Weardale Railways was a model of how heritage schemes could be used as a catalyst for regeneration, linking with other attractions in the area.

Sir William McAlpine, WRL chairman, added: "The award of this grant represents a major step forward in our ability to fully restore the railway and will be a tremendous boost to our staff and to the many volunteers who have worked with such dedication over the last decade."