Alston has

Reporter THEY are the glue that tie the picturesque town together.

But now the cobbles in Alston Front Street are being replaced – by Tarmac.

The removal of cobbles in one of the highest market towns in Britain has got locals in uproar but Cumbria County Council bosses say they have been removed as they are “no longer suitable as a safe driving surface”.

And they say the cobbles are in storage to be used elsewhere in the town at a later date.

But angry residents believe the heart of the town is being ripped out as the picturesque cobbled Front Street is left with modern resurfacing.

Now Claire Driver, Labour councillor for Alston and East Fellside, has had her letter published on Save Alston Front Street Facebook page to try to put the record straight as she says the repairs were needed in advance of winter.

Residents say they want the cobbles put back as they are the heart of town and part of the reason why thousands visit every year.

Andy Holt has taken on the voice of the town as he fights for the cobbles to be resurrected.

And he hopes they will be put back to maintain the heritage of the place he loves.

“I truly believed that the cobbles were going to be put back and the road not just Tarmaced,” said Andy, 40, who lives in Alston. “I want to see the cobbles remain, along with so many other people.

“The cobbles have all been pulled up The Alston cobbles are being ripped up from the bottom half of the Front Street and Tarmac is in its place and the top half will be removed soon.”

Andy, who runs ASHtech home improvements, added: “They say the cobbles are being kept in storage to re-use them later but I’m not getting a direct answer if they are going to be replaced back where they came from, in the road again, or used elsewhere.

“People are devastated they are gone. We’ve had this lovely cobbled road and over the last couple of years it has been abused and not put back the right way.

“These cobbles need to remain to maintain Alston’s heritage. The Alston cobbles are being ripped up and replaced with Tarmac ESCORTED HOLIDAYS