A COMMUNITY partnership is forging ahead with ideas to regenerate two dales towns.

The Market Towns Partnership for Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale met on Monday.

The discussion focussed on which issues residents believed were common problems, and possible solutions to boost the flagging rural income and encourage the growth in tourism.

A consultation exercise carried out by Market Towns co-ordinator David McKnight, gave residents the opportunity to comment on what they believed was needed to kickstart Teesdale as part of the Market Towns Initiative scheme, funded by the Countryside Agency.

Ideas ranged from creating a large tourist attraction like the Capilano Suspension Bridge, in Vancouver, Canada, over the River Tees, to abandoning half-day closing and trading seven days a week.

More cycle routes and woodland trails were also called for, plus better signing to Teesdale from the A66, rural transport schemes and a need to promote the area in a niche market.

Plans are already in hand to improve traffic management in both towns and erect new signs to Barnard Castle and the Dales from the A66, and a grant application has been made to improve shop fronts.

But the partnership hopes that a series of public meetings beginning on February 18 will bring more ideas and solutions.

The meetings are being held as follows:

Monday, February 18 - Winston Memorial Village Hall 7pm; Tuesday, February 19 - Langdon Beck Hotel at 7.30pm; Thursday, February 21 - Witham Hall, Barnard Castle at 7pm; Monday, February 25- Middleton-in-Teesdale Village Hall at 7pm; Tuesday, February 26 - Bowes and Gilmonby Parish Hall at 7pm; Wednesday, February 27 - Butterknowle Village Hall, at 7pm