WORK is starting to restore part of an important landmark in Hartlepool.

Repairs will be made to the wall around the churchyard at St Hilda's Church on the Headland.

The existing concrete coping which runs along the top of the wall is badly worn and looks out of keeping with the wall itself, which is several hundred years old.

The coping will be replaced with a hard-wearing sandstone to complement the wall.

Parts of the wall will be repainted if necessary. Repairs will also be carried out on a section of the wall near the main entrance to the church, which faces on to Durham Street. This part of the wall was damaged when a car ran into it.

The project was spearheaded by the North Hartlepool Partnership, which is using Single Regeneration Budget money from the Government to revitalise North Hartlepool and the Headland.

The work is expected to cost £96,000 and will take about three months to complete.

There will be consultation later this year on plans for a second phase of work which will involve fitting metal gates to the churchyard entrances. It is part of a series of improvements to St Hilda's, which has included the installation of floodlighting.