UNLIKE the Millennium Dome, a North-East version is guaranteed to be packed every summer - even if it is with salt.
A 50ft high dome-shaped barn became the region's largest salt cellar when it was opened yesterday.
Christened The Derwentside Dome by locals, the £175,000 salt barn, at Annfield Plain, will store thousands of tonnes of salt to treat roads in the area during the winter.
Alex Watson, leader of Derwentside District Council, said: "We are close to the Pennines and, while that gives us some fantastic scenery, it also gives us some of the worst weather in the region.
"It's an annual battle to keep the roads open, but being able to call on dry salt will be a great help."
A joint project between Durham County Council and the district council, it was opened yesterday by Alex Watson and county council cabinet member Councillor Don Ross.
Coun Ross said: "The barn provides much-needed cover for 5,000 tonnes of salt used to treat roads in Derwentside each winter."
Salt stored in open air stockpiles becomes saturated by rain and dissolves away to pollute any nearby watercourse, in this case Stanley Burn. The barn will prevent this.
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