AN acclaimed project which has made the worldwide web more accessible to organisations all over the region is about to announce an exciting new development.

The CommuniGate scheme - run by Newsquest North-East, publishers of The Advertiser series - will be reaching further into local communities, thanks to the launch of a mobile service.

The CommuniGate bus will be unveiled at Darlington town hall tomorrow (Friday) by the town's MP Alan Milburn.

The specially-adapted vehicle features six laptop computers, tables and seating areas, and will be providing travelling workshops, starting this month.

CommuniGate has already proved a phenomenal success since it was founded in September 2000.

More than 2,000 internet sites have been provided, free of charge, for charities and community groups throughout County Durham, North Yorkshire, Cleveland, and Tyne and Wear.

The new bus will allow CommuniGate to reach previously inaccessible rural areas, with workshops to be held either on board the vehicle or at local venues.

Funding for the mini-bus conversion has come from Barclays and mobile communications for workshops from Orange.

After its launch on the town hall forecourt tomorrow, the bus will be heading to the Water Park in Middleton St George, for 4pm, to allow local people to look at the facilities it offers.

Next Friday, May 27, from 10am until noon, it will be at the Maidendale House community centre, on the Firthmoor estate, as part of Adult Learners' Week.

Newsquest North-East managing director David Kelly said: "This is an exciting and possibly unique development of our highly successful service of bringing communities closer together.

"Our new partners are equally committed to communities both large and small and, thanks to them, the reach of CommuniGate will be even greater now."