A VICTORIAN bell tower which once graced the roof of an east Durham school will soon become a landmark in its own right.

A £15,000 project, at the former Dawdon School site, in Seaham, will help a number of unemployed young people gain valuable new skills.

The scheme is a result of a partnership between restoration specialists Quadriga Concepts and the Northern Training Trust.

It will provide the opportunity for young "apprentices" to work alongside a team of master craftsmen as they prepare the tower for a new home.

Although Dawdon school was knocked down to make way for a modern community centre, the bell tower itself was saved from demolition.

Now it has been removed from its supporting structure and lowered to the ground for restoration work to begin.

And for the first time in more than 100 years the craftsmanship that created the decorative pinnacle can be fully appreciated at eye level.

Once the restoration work is complete, the tower will be placed on a concrete foundation in a community garden next to the community centre.

When completed, the scheme will provide recreational space for the people of Dawdon, and a playground for children