Several members of the community in a Tyne Valley town have worked together to transform one of its cemeteries.

Led by resident and local history enthusiast Len Franchetti, a group of locals in Prudhoe have begun a redevelopment of the town’s St. Mary Magdalene cemetery over the winter.

In assistance with woodland expert Mark Elliott, the group undertook a regeneration project that allowed safe access to the graves in the cemetery as well as helping to improve other aspects including its greenspaces, wildlife, environment and monuments.

After spending more than a total of 8,000 hours on the project in recent months, the location is starting to take shape after a large amount of work has been completed to improve the condition of the cemetery.

Work has been carried out to clear a mass of weeds and ivy as well as shrubs and saplings, while grass cutting has also been carried out.

Restoration of several gravestones has also taken place, with more having been re-erected with the permission of the church authorities.

The work hasn't happened without its issues however, with one of the main problems being a lack of soil due to depressions that have been caused by soil shrinkages.

Although 200 tonnes of soil have been brought in to help with the project, the group are asking for any donations of topsoil to help continue the refurbishment.

The enthusiasts - who have been meeting twice a week - have also planted over 1000 daffodil bulbs ahead of the summer months.

Ray Moore, who is one of the members of the St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery working group, has also begun looking at the burial records of the location in partnership with Prudhoe Library's Anne Blackburn.

The pair have so far collected a wide range of information including not just data about the people buried, but also about their family history and past trades.

This research has drawn a lot of attention and interest as a result, with people from around the region and even the USA hoping to find out more about their family members.

Thanks to the group's hard work, it meant it was able to celebrate the 150th anniversary of it's consecration, with the Bishop of Newcastle also paying a visit as a result.