WORK is under way on a scheme to link three Derwentside communities with a series of tracks for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

The Kyo Greenways Project, which will take three years to complete, will connect Dipton, Stanley and Annfield Plain.

The County Durham Environmental Trust has put £100,000 towards the project, which includes recreating native woodland, lowland heath and hedgerows to form wildlife corridors along the route.

The project will give a new lease of life to a former wagonway that pre-dates the steam era and was used to move coal. It is being carried out by organisations including the Trust, the Countryside Agency, Derwentside District Council, Groundwork West Durham, Sustrans and the Acorn Trust.

Contractors are now busy on the site laying down the pathways and will soon starting planting the first of thousands of trees along the route. In all, 27 hectares of saplings will be planted.

Chairman John Wearmouth said: "This is an excellent example of a scheme which will benefit several communities by creating safe routes and planting woodland within easy walking distance of people's homes."

Derwentside District Council planning and projects officer Dan Grierson said: "The first major phase of the project is now well under way, which will link Stanley town centre to the new C2C cycle route and provide a safe cycle path to two local schools.''