CHILDREN who gave an artistic makeover to a set of road barriers will finally see the results next week.

Engineers from the Highways Agency built new safety barriers along the side of the busy A167 road through Durham City to protect the East Coast Main Line below.

Pupils making their way to Neville's Cross and St Margaret's primary schools, in Durham City, said they thought the new barriers were ugly - and worked with Bearpark Artists Co-op to come up with colourful ideas to brighten them up.

Next week, the project will be completed when the barriers - complete with the children's designs of fish, birds and trees - are unveiled to the public.

Councillor Nigel Martin, who represents the area on Durham County Council and who plans to attend next Tuesday's unveiling ceremony, said: "It is extremely rewarding working with young people on a project that has been implemented using their ideas.

"The children were very creative and came up with a wide range of designs which we have used on the barrier.

"I suspect some of them wondered if the work would actually go ahead and it is great that they can now see the outcome of their efforts."