A £75,000 project to keep peatland areas of the North Pennines wet, will ease global warming, experts say.

Peatlands act as a huge natural carbon store, but when these areas dry out carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, adding to global warming.

Now drainage ditches - or grips - which were cut into the peat 60 years ago, will be filled in.

An area of Weardale has been chosen for the project, which if successful, may be used in other upland areas.

It is hoped the "re-wetting" project will also aid wildlife, plants and water quality, according to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership.

Water shortages

The organisation's peatscapes project manager, Paul Leadbitter, said: "Peatlands are the single largest store of organic carbon in the UK. They provide a flood control service for lower lying areas and are also a reservoir and filtration system for drinking water for millions of people."

The County Durham Environmental Trust is providing the cash for the project.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, North Pennines AONB Officer said: "In a time when global climate change, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, more frequent flooding and water shortages are on the minds of many, the peatscapes initiative is in an excellent position to contribute to the effort to mitigate some of these important environmental issues."

There may be as much as 10,000 km (6,213 miles) of drainage ditches in the North Pennines, which are having a detrimental effect of water quality, carbon storage and flooding.