A group of residents have been celebrating after a “Gateway to Richmond” was opened.

The mayor, Councillor Celia Hodges, was among those who attended a reception to mark the completion of a five-year project to make improvements to the path and gateway to Richmond, from the Old Deer Park to Richmond Green.

The project was launched by John Thurston in 2004, who noticed when he parked his car in the car park by the A316 there was an unremarkable entrance for visitors to Richmond via the gates onto Richmond Green with an uneven and litter cluttered path.

He set about transforming the path and the gates and when he fell ill Honor Bailey, patron of the Richmond Environmental Information Centre at the time, took up the reins.

She said a grant was received from Richmond Council’s Civic Pride initiative and from the Richmond Parish Lands Charity while other cash came from the Asgill House Trust, the Friends of Richmond Green and residents.

“Five years later improvements to this corner of Richmond Green have been completed,” added Mrs Bailey.

“The gates have been refurbished and altered to fit properly and the supporting piers have also been refurbished.

“The pathway has been re-surfaced by the council and arrangements have been made to ensure that the litter is regularly collected.

“It has taken five years to complete, and the original concept - that this was one of the Gateways to Richmond and should be a welcoming focal entrance, worthy of this heritage town - has now been achieved.”