A LAND charity is celebrating the completion of a project to repair a dry stone wall that has seen more than 150 people give their time over four years.

The Richmondshire Landscape Trust, which works to protect green spaces around the district, decided to rebuild a 400 metre section of drystone wall around three pieces of land on the outskirts of Richmond in 2008.

Working with experts from the Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain, dozens of volunteers - some with no experience of dry walling - helped to restore the wall back to its original condition.

As part of the reconstruction the trust also worked with pupils from Richmond Methodist School to design and build a semi-circular seat, which houses a time capsule of paintings, photographs, maps and toys from the children.

Elaine Wood, a member of the Richmondshire Landscape Trust and the Dry Stone Walling Association, said: “It is such a fantastic achievement to have completed this project which represents a real community effort, ranging from schoolchildren to those in their retirement.

“Many people have literally spent hundreds of hours of hard labour on the wall and it is testimony to their dedicated work and commitment that we now have something that will enhance the landscape for generations to come.

To help people gain the skills needed to carry out the project, the two organisations have run several training courses over the years to teach dry stone walling skills.

The trust has a number of projects to maintain and improve the land in its care, including the planting of new hedgerows and trees and the creation of a wildlife corridor in Westfields, near Richmond.

The trust is looking for extra help with its land maintenance projects - for further information, call Jacqui Singleton Turner on 01748-822863 or Elaine Wood on 01748-823108.