A 400-YEAR-old hall in Nelson which had stood empty for several years was due to re-open today following a £500,000 restoration.

Marsden Old Hall has undergone extensive renovation as part of a £1.8 million drive to breathe new life into Marsden Park.

The £500,000 restoration, funded by the council and the National Lottery's Heritage Lottery Fund, forms the centrepiece of the Marsden Park regeneration project.

Marsden Old Hall will now be used as the home of the council's park keepers team.

There will also be a special teaching and meeting rooms, which can be used to run demonstrations and workshops for visitors.

Coun Ann Kerrigan, executive member for parks and recreation, was due to officially open the hall at 10am today.

She said: "Now it's completed, the old hall is the jewel in the crown of the whole Marsden Park restoration project.

"It really has been restored to its former glory and I'm delighted to be officially reopening it to the public."

The hall dates back at around 1560 and used to belong to the Walton family.

Since then it has been used as a lunatic asylum, a council storage site and changing rooms for football teams.

It was also used as a restaurant up until about four years ago.

Colin Patten, parks and recreational services manager, said it was also hoped that NVQ courses could be run from the site in conjunction with Nelson and Colne College.

He added: "The refurbishment of the Old Hall has been made possible thanks to the wonderful financial support we've received from the Heritage Lottery Fund and from Pendle councillors."

Groups or schools interested in workshops and demonstrations running in the old hall should contact 01282 661600 or 661611.