FIVE years ago, on Darlington's Skerne Park estate, crime was rife, houses stood empty and the self-esteem of residents was at rock bottom.

Then Skerne Park was awarded £3.5m from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and the fortunes of the estate started to turn around.

With additional funding from public, private and voluntary sectors, more than £10.5m has been made available to Skerne Park over the past five years.

The Skerne Park Partnership, made up of various agencies, community groups and people living on the estate, came together to regenerate the area.

The results of their efforts were marked yesterday, in a celebration of everything that has been achieved, and residents young and old turned out to mark the occasion.

Partnership chairman Alan Coultas said: "When the partnership came together, I think everybody concerned was very much aware of the big challenge ahead. "The estate had a reputation which was undeserved in lots of ways, but you could almost feel the spirits were low, and along with that the estate didn't look very good. It was run-down and crime levels were high.

"Putting all that together, we knew we had a big job on our hands."

The project was largely driven by housing refurbishment and, as a result of the initiative, 248 houses have been refitted and there are no longer any empty council houses.

Training and education opportunities have been opened to residents, culminating in the launch of a UK Online centre in Skerne Park Primary School, with the help of the Darlington Partnership and Darlington College of Technology.

The partnership has invested in a number of projects, including helping the school to improve its play areas, development of a quiet garden, and refurbishment of the youth and community centre.

The creation of the Community Enterprise Association has been another vital project, helping people to develop enterprise initiatives on the estate, including Skerne Park Community Caf, a child care centre, a tool library and toy library.

Skerne Park resident Tracey Gregory, who has lived on the estate throughout the changes and is a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer, says community spirit is bubbling once more.

"It has just improved everyone's spirits and is giving people the opportunity to do things they didn't think they would be able to do," she said.

"I'm very proud to say I live on Skerne Park."