VISITORS have been given the opportunity to see for themselves the results of a £100,000 renovation of a popular Darlington landmark.

The scaffolding was taken off the Tees Cottage Pumping Station last week in preparation for its annual Easter open days yesterday and Sunday.

The 150-year-old pumping station in Coniscliffe Road has been given a face-lift and a lick of paint for the first time in more than 30 years.

Money for the project came from Northumbrian Water, which owns the station, and English Heritage.

The work has ensured the pump's roof and guttering are watertight and new window frames have replaced crumbling ones at the top of the historic building.

Although the top of the pumping station has had improvements carried out, more money must be raised to continue work lower down the building.

This work would include replacing windows and refurbishing the inside of the station, which attracts hundreds of visitors to its open days throughout the year.

Spokesman Jim Prentis said: "It was wonderful when the scaffolding came down, to see the new look of the station.

"In the past, it was not worth painting the station because a lot of the window frames were rotten and there was no money to replace them.

"The money spent so far has replaced all the upper windows and made the building watertight.

"Some economical repairs have also been carried out on lower windows, but we need to raise more money to replace them.

"Visitors over Easter have seen a real difference in the station because it has not been painted since the 1970s when Northumbrian Water took over its ownership."

The repairs should keep the pumping station, which is a listed building, in good condition for the next 40 years.

In its heyday, the station pumped 2.4million gallons of water a day and required six tons of coal to keep it operating.

It was converted to gas power in 1914, then electricity in 1926.

In 1974, it came under the control of Northumbrian Water and six years later ceased full-time working.