A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch group has been established - to keep a an eye on a 12th Century hermit's cave that has become a national treasure.

A dozen residents have formed a rota to keep a check on St Robert's Cave, in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, protecting it from vandals, litter-louts and graffiti artists.

The cave, a scheduled ancient monumnent and one of the few of its type in the country, is alongside the River Nidd, in Abbey Road.

It is cared for by the museums department of Harrogate Borough Council on a 50-year lease from owners Ampleforth Abbey, in North Yorkshire.

Council museums chief Mary Kershaw described the cave watch as a splendid group of volunteers who did far more than she had ever expected.

In addition to keeping the cave and its surroundings in good order, the volunteers file regular reports after their visits to highlight problems of overgrown trees or any hint of damage.

"The site is visited on a regular basis and the volunteers have taken it upon themselves to look after the site very well," said Mrs Kershaw. "They all have a great sense of town pride."

Some believe St Robert was a monk at Fountains Abbey before moving to the cave in Abbey Road. But Mrs Kershaw does not believe that theory. She said St Robert was connected with a Cistercian abbey at Morpeth, in Northumberland.

St Robert, who has an Anglican church at Pannal and a Roman Catholic church in Harrogate town centre bearing his name, lived in the cave for about 20 years and it is estimated he was about 40 when he died.