New life for Hylton Castle...

Six hundred years of history was never going to be destroyed by the hands of vandals - the Sunderland community wouldn’t stand for it.

Not that Hylton Castle didn’t come close to succumbing.

This historic site not too long ago was a magnet for ne’er-do-wells.

Glue sniffers, vandals and arsonists lay siege to the site, putting its future in real jeopardy.

Where hundreds of years of the fiercest elements to hit Sunderland failed to make a dent in the structure, the vandals nearly succeed.

Thankfully, the public’s affection for the site and determination to turn it into something useful for the community never waned.

Money may for some considerable time may have been in short supply, but the interest and affection was always there.

And it is that community spirit that is the lifeblood of the Castle today.

Yes, there is today a £4.2million project to breathe new life into Hylton Castle, but it would be nothing without the support of the community.

And, as we reveal today, residents in Sunderland have been working hard behind the scenes, with more than 120 people giving up their own time to help transform the site.

Sunderland City Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, Councillor John Kelly, said: “This project isn’t just about celebrating the history of the castle and grounds, it’s about celebrating the different roles it has played as an iconic building in the heart of the community and in the lives of the generations of local people connected with it.”

Vandals have been run out of town by volunteers and we couldn’t be happier. Long may it continue.