A RAILWAY heritage group who raised concerns about the state of a North-East landmark have thanked the supermarket chain who cleaned the area up.

The Friends of Darlington Railway Centre and Museum called for more to be done to maintain the site surrounding the brick train sculpture on the A66, on the outskirts of Darlington, next to Morrisons at Morton Park.

Overgrown hedges obscured the view of the sculpture and covered up signs directing visitors to a car park and viewing platform.

The sculpture was commissioned by Darlington Borough Council in partnership with Morrisons supermarkets, which takes care of the land surrounding the council.

After concerns were raised, the supermarket arranged for a team to trim back the hedges and install new floodlights at the sculpture.

David Porter, vice-chairman of the railway heritage group, said: “On behalf of the group I would like to thank them as they really have transformed the view of the locomotive.

“It has changed from looking like a very dowdy, unhappy site to what is now our Angel of the North.

“I am delighted with what they have done.”

The sculpture, which stands at seven metres high and 39 metres long, was commissioned and built in 1997 by Scottish sculptor David Mach as a tribute to the town’s railway heritage.