RESIDENTS in Thornton-le-Dale have used the view captured on an old postcard to inspire them to improve the beck running through the village.

The Thornton Beck Group has been working for a couple of years to clear up the beck.

They have just finished the first of a series of projects inspired by an old postcard photograph, owned by Dave Mitchell, one of the volunteers. The idea was to return the beck to the way it was decades ago, as it had become overgrown and heavily silted.

The work, supported by a small grant from North Yorkshire County Councillor Janet Sanderson’s locality budget and the North York Moors National Park, has been a community effort.

Throughout the summer volunteers cleared the beck and have been supported and advised by the Environment Agency.

Weeds, low branches, tree stumps and foliage have been removed and a stone wall rebuilt along with improvements to the river bank to help to prevent silting and erosion.

Cllr Sanderson said: “The work has been a real community effort. It’s not always been an easy journey and the group have faced many challenges, not least that the original builder commissioned pulled out only two months before the completion date required to receive the grant funding.

“At the last minute we found a local builder who had done this type of work many years ago and together with his son came to the rescue.

“As a parish councillor, much of the work was done by Paul Charles as a labour of love. It’s even possible that Paul’s great grandfather, who worked for the Thornton Dale Estate, built the original wall.

“The completion of the wall has given a focus to the village in the dark days of winter and proved that, given a little bit of grant funding coupled with a lot of enthusiasm, good will and community spirit, you can get the job done.’’