REPAIR work has been carried out to historic walls on Little Hoad in Ulverston.

The walls run along both sides of the footpath up Chittery Lane and are known locally as 'the Great Wall of China' because of the way they snake across the landscape.

The walls are historically important, forming part of the original 'outgang' onto the open hillside allowing the movement of stock. They probably date from the period of the enclosures in circa 1800.

Work has been carried out by members of Ulverston & District Civic Society and the Cumbria branch of the Drystone Walling Association.

Civic Society members had cleared fallen stone in readiness for the start of repair work - having to move it back from the base of the wall to allow access.

Parts of the wall had to be taken down to ground level as it had become very unstable and rebuilt from scratch. At the end of the two day event, the wallers had rebuilt more than 21 metres of wall and the Civic Society members had consolidated other areas in readiness for a proper repair in the future. They also removed undergrowth from along one side of the path in a bid to solve the flooding problem by allowing water to run freely through the drystone wall.

Civic society chairman Peter Lowe said: "Members of the public had been invited to come and see the wallers in action and there was a very positive reaction to the works been undertaken.

"Many people commented that the repairs were long overdue.Some people were even inspired to try and learn the skill of drystone walling themselves."

Over the weekend £70 was collected for the Cumbria Air Ambulance.

The Civic Society has other projects in mind to restore and repair other historical features of the town. Anyone interested in the work of the civic society are welcome to call in at The Old Curiosity Shop on Queen Street.