BUILDERS are hard at work on a nursery designed to attract young families back to the Yorkshire Dales.

Recent demographic studies suggest empty properties are more attractive to retired couples or as holiday cottages because working parents with young children have been put off setting up home in the country by the lack of nursery facilities.

But work is now well under way at Reeth Community Primary School on a £129,000 project which will see outside toilets and storage buildings converted into a purpose-built nursery for 13 children.

Due to open in June, The Two Dales Nursery will take children from the catchment areas covered by the primary schools at Reeth, Gunnerside and Arkengarthdale.

"We are all very excited," said Reeth headteacher Godfrey Wilson. "It will be a tremendous asset to the Dales. The new nursery ends a four-year hunt for suitable premises. We were even looking at using village halls but couldn't find one that was suitable. Then it was suggested we converted our outbuildings which, in terms of maintenance, were becoming a bit of a liability. It is going to be great."