UPPER Wensleydale, one of the Yorkshire's most picturesque areas, is also one of its most deprived, says the county's rural watchdog.

Mr Stan Roocroft, development officer for the Yorkshire rural community council in the Dale, said that of the 3,600 residents, a third lived in Hawes. The other villages and hamlets were unable to support facilities such as secondary or tertiary education, training, and a wide range of recreation and leisure amenities.

As a result, people in Upper Wensleydale had much less access to services and social facilities than those in urban areas. He said: "Local businesses face similar difficulties with regard to support services ranging from mobile telephone and postal services to business advice and training courses."

Now, calls are being made for a strategy to enhance the prosperity and viability of the rural communities, developing and diversifying the economy of upper Wensleydale, hard-hit by the decline in farming, and to win new capital investments and grant aid.

Already a community partnership organisation has been set up, comprising parish, district and county councillors, business associations and voluntary groups.

Nearly a quarter of dale residents are of retirement age, almost twice the national average, while young people up to 18 make up fifth of the population.

Within the dale there are 1,600 "first" jobs and about 350 people commute into the area to work, while 400 travel for employment.

A high proportion are self-employed, especially in farming and tourism, while just under a quarter have second jobs.

While there are primary schools at Hawes, Bainbridge, West Burton and Askrigg, secondary school-age children have to go to Leyburn for their education.

There has also been consolidation of surgery facilities with the retirement of two doctors at Aysgarth, which has raised concerns about a potential loss of services.

"Some outreach services such as youth support work and training have also suffered from retrenchment to main bases outside the dale".

Farming is now heavily dependent on European and government support and, says Mr Roocroft, the long-term trend of decline in the number of farms and agricultural employment will continue.

Some 260 people are employed in tourism. "Spending by tourists is vital in upper Wensleydale in maintaining jobs, shops and restaurants and the jobs of 220 people in those establishments."