A RIVERSIDE millennium green at Gainford is officially opened tomorrow.

The ceremony will be performed at 2pm by Mrs Ann Allison, a tireless community worker who has lived in the village for 60 years.

The event is the culmination of months of hard work by the Gainford riverside millennium green trust, which organised fundraising to buy a privately-owned stretch of land for community use.

So far it has raised £94,000 to bring the scheme to fruition.

Trustee, Mrs Pauline Stow, said: "When the land came up for sale we thought it would be wonderful to buy it and keep it for the village, to maintain it as a wild riverside walk."

As part of the project, members have improved pathways and made a disabled access to the area.

Benches, bird boxes and bat boxes have also been installed and about 50 trees and native wildflowers are to be planted over the next year or so.

The area also boasts a couple of millennium features, both made by local stonemason, Mr Terry Jerrom. One is a carving of a Viking beast which is already in place, and the other a sundial.

Mrs Stow said the dial was to be put on The Groyne part of the riverside and she hoped it would be installed by tomorrow.

The trust is considering what to do about paths damaged in recent flooding of the Tees.

"We are thinking about replacing the surfaces with something more durable," said Mrs Stow, "but we are not rushing into anything. We are going to take advice before a decision is made."

After Mrs Allison cuts the tapes, the afternoon will continue with music by Barnard Castle brass band, a puppet show and refreshments.

Weather and river levels permitting, the event will be rounded off with a duck race on the Tees and, in the evening, a dance in the village hall and a barbecue.

"We thought it would be nice to ask Mrs Allison to open the event as she has been involved in so many things in the village over the years," said Mrs Stow.

"We are all looking forward to the opening event. We see this as our millennium celebration and we wanted to make a splash."