Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum launches £250,000 repair appeal

The domed roof of the 1910 upcast suffered structural failure

A Teesside mining museum has launched a public appeal to raise £250,000 to repair a historic building.

The roof of the 1910 upcast at Cleveland Ironstone Museum in Skinningrove collapsed during extreme weather in March, damaging the tunnel.

Extensive structural checks found about £250,000 would be needed for repairs and to ensure it was safe for visitors.

Director Graham Banwell, said it was "important" to continue to celebrate ironstone workings in the North East.

The museum is to undergo a £1.6m revamp later this year, but the upcast is not covered in the grant.

A registered charity and predominately run by volunteers, the site opened in 1983 to celebrate the iron excavation carried out in the Cleveland Hills since the 19th Century.

It is hoped the entire museum will reopen in the summer. The upcast was a type of chimney used to ventilate the mine.