SHOPPERS and visitors to Bedale will soon see the results of a £25,000 facelift given to a pedestrian link between a car park and the market place.

The route, called a ginnel, between the HSBC bank and the former assembly rooms was once a litter-strewn eyesore, but has now been transformed by the Bedale and villages community plan forum with the help of landscape architect Martin Woolley.

The path has been resurfaced with stone paving, a step has been turned into a slope for disabled access, lights have been installed and, at the car park end, two additional parking spaces have been created.

A small courtyard that became a dumping ground for litter has been cordoned off by building a wall and installing a gate.

Funding for the project came from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward's rural target fund, the North Yorkshire County Council community fund, a Hambleton District Council community grant and local businessman Ian Leathley, of the House and Home store. Help in kind, through design and project management, was given by The Plan Shop at Bedale.

The ginnel is expected to be reopened in the next two weeks.