Doors open at new 'green' hostel

An eco-friendly youth hostel has opened its doors to customers for the first time in North Yorkshire.

The hostel, at Lockton, near Pickering, has recently been refurbished and now features a number of innovations along a "green theme".

The old village school building now has showers heated by solar panels, dry compost toilets and a system for collecting and storing rain water.

Sheep's wool is used as insulation and an extension has a "living roof".

Several aims

The £300,000 project has been funded with cash from the North York Moors National Park Authority, North Yorkshire County Council and a £45, 000 boost from the Rural Enterprise Scheme.

The Youth Hostels' Association regional manager Simon Ainley said: "This area of Yorkshire attracts visitors from far and wide and this building will deliver several aims.

"It helps to reduce the impact our visitors make on the environment and helps to educate them about the issues.

"It also offers advice on how they can be more environmentally friendly in their everyday lives."