RESIDENTS in the beauty spot village of Appleton-le-Moors near Kirkbymoorside have come the rescue of its landmark Reading Room which had been under threat.

The wooden structure, at the entrance to the historic North York Moors National Park village, is one of only a handful still surviving in Ryedale, but because of declining usage a question mark has been hanging over its future.

Now, says chairman, Jim Hall, residents have come forward and set u a "Friends of the Reading Room" group and more than 50 people have agreed to contribute £10 each.

"Also, now people are aware of the problems of funds, in particular for its annual insurance, we anticipate its asage will increase. We are a small parish of some 220 people and we also have a large village hall to support," said Jim.

He added that the reading room has also benefited from two grants from the National Park. "The structure is sound and the problem lies in the running costs and getting sufficent hire fees" said Jim.

Three years ago the reading room celebrated its centenary. Its origins date back to when reading rooms were established in many villages especially for the farming communities, as places where men could meet after a day's work, read the day's newspapers, and play billiards, dominoes and darts."The aim was to keep the men out of the pub but I think then went to the reading room first and then for a drink!"

He added: "As the number of workers dropped off, the rooms fell into disrepair but it has now been given a new lease of life and we have a good number of small groups using it. The reading room is part of the rural heritage not only of Appleton-le-Moors but of Ryedale and it is good that it now has a sound future."