A CARAVAN site that in the words of its warden "needed bombing", re-opened yesterday after undergoing a much-needed transformation.

The Grange site, near junction 62 of the A1(M), at Carrville, near Durham, had seen better days when the Caravan Club invested £400,000 to buy the freehold from the county council, in autumn 2003.

Long-awaited refurbishment work began last October and was recently completed after a £1m overhaul.

The fruits of the revamp were seen in all their glory yesterday when officials from the Caravan Club joined John Holmes, regeneration and tourism director of regional development agency One NorthEast, for the official opening.

Mr Holmes cut a ribbon near the entrance of the Meadow Lane site, before guests and caravanners enjoyed a bucks fizz reception and a free buffet.

The refurbishment has seen the 12-acre site transformed with landscaping to encourage biodiversity.

It has 75 pitches, 39 of them hard-standing, with yearly storage for up to 120 caravans in a locked compound monitored by security cameras.

Recent developments include the refurbishment of the toilet and shower facilities, reception area and wardens' workshops.

Wardens Graham and Kath Carson have been at the site for three years and have witnessed the turnaround in its fortunes.

Mr Carson said the opening event could not have gone better.

"Everyone's had a great time. The weather has been stunning and the site looks a real picture.

"It really wasn't too clever previously, it apparently had a bomb dropped on it in the war and to be honest it needed another dropping on it.

"But they've made a really good job of it and it is looking in prime condition."

Each of the caravanners on site yesterday was given a limited issue souvenir site badge, which Mr Graham believes will become collectors' pieces in the caravan world in years to come.