Damaged Roseberry Topping path restoration begins

A helicopter was used to carry new pathway stones to the top of the hill

The first stones to restore footpaths on a damaged north-east of England landmark have been transported by helicopter.

Roseberry Topping, a hill on the edge of the North York Moors, has seen "significant path erosion" with its 10 trails in "dire need of repair", the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) said.

About 100 tonnes of pathway stones will be used during the repair work which is expected to take between two and three years.

The project is being run by the National Trust and North York Moors National Park.

Gail Buzzard of the National Trust said: "This is a local icon for the people of Teesside, and we've just seen our paths degrade and get worse.

"It is impacting the local fauna around us, the erosion scars are getting bigger and we've struggled to raise the funds, up until now, to make it better.

"We want to make it accessible for people but also protect the landscape so this place is here forever for everyone."

The work to repair paths at Roseberry Topping is expected to take between two and three years

About 100 tonnes of rock were flown to the top of the 1,050ft (320m) hill on Monday.

Joel Brookfield, of North York Moors National Park, said it was an "efficient operation" as the helicopter flew from the base of the hill several times.

He said the pilot was a skilled operator.

"It's not a job I'd like to do," Mr Brookfield added.

The helicopter had to be grounded for several hours due to bad weather conditions.

"It's challenging in different circumstances depending on the weather," pilot Eamon Murphy said.

Land near the pathways has been damaged by walkers, project managers said

The initial work will be on the main route from Newton under Roseberry, from the edge of Newton Woods to the summit, which is a distance of 1,365ft (416m).

There will also be diversions in place for visitors during the works, the National Trust said.