RESIDENTS of a community are celebrating the success of a campaign to restore the title of village to their settlement.

Sherburn, near Durham, will be known as Sherburn Village from Saturday.

Parish council chairman Stuart Walton said: "It was known as Sherburn Village for hundreds of years.

"Then, back in 1936, the Postmaster General decided to take 'Village' off the title and just call it Sherburn."

Even though the name was removed, force of habit has kept the name alive in the area.

Coun Walton said: "Everyone has always know it as the village. As a parish council, we decided we would put the name back.

"It will help prevent confusion that always arises as well, as there are a number of Sherburns around here.

"There is Sherburn Hill, Sherburn House and Sherburn Road, just on the outskirts of Durham. There is also nearby Sherburn Grange and West Sherburn. We have even had people come into our village all the way from South Yorkshire after missing the turn-off for Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds."

After a year-long campaign and help from Durham City Council solicitor Leslie Blackie, the city council agreed to the name reverting.

Coun Walton said: "I do not know why the name was changed in the first place.

"It was possibly felt it had outgrown the description of village, but there are many villages much larger than ours."

The parish council is now approaching Durham County Council about changing the street signs.

A few signs on surrounding rural roads will not need changing, however, because they pre-date the 1936 name-change.

Coun Walton said: "We are proud of being able to restore the title village. We now have plans to rejuvenate the village centre, which is a conservation area.

"There are proposals to install new village furniture, replace the old bollards with ones more in keeping with the area and to improve the footpaths."

The council will also launch a website, www.sherburnvillage. com, from May 1.