A MINI park has sprouted up in the heart of north Hartlepool.

The green space has been created in an area which was previously an unsightly block of mainly empty, boarded-up houses.

The 40 houses, a mixture of properties owned by Home Housing Association and Hartlepool Borough Council, were old and there was no demand for them. A decision was therefore made to demolish them and put something better in their place.

The project was spearheaded by Home Housing, with help from the council and the North Hartlepool Single Regeneration Budget Partnership.

Consultation and workshops involving residents, revealed many people wanted to see the creation of a green open space, which everyone, particularly youngsters, could enjoy.

In December last year, the block, which is bordered by Miers Avenue, Garside Drive, Bruce Crescent and Purves Place, was demolished.

The area has been landscaped with trees and flower beds, and a cluster of small boulders for youngsters to climb or sit on.

About £70,000 has been spent on the clearance and landscaping.

Andrew McCormack, the council's project manager, said: "A lot of good suggestions came up during the workshops for residents, and the idea which seemed to catch most people's imaginations was a community garden, which provided a safe area in which children could play."