A VILLAGE pub wants to open a mini cinema in one of its rooms.

The Rookhope Inn in Rookhope, near Bishop Auckland, has followed the lead of other villages by supporting calls for a local cinema.

But the pub has gone one step further by offering to show films in one of its rooms.

Licensee Chris Jones, 55, who is one of the founder members of the Saint Aidan's Trust, which promotes village activities, said: "We've got some chairs that have been donated and we intend to buy a projector kit.

"This would all go into the pool room and we'd have our own makeshift cinema playing all the big films in the back room of the pub."

Rookhope is renown for its close-knit community that has worked hard to recover after the closure of the Blue Circle Cement works, in nearby Eastgate, in 2002.

Mr Jones said the closure had a devastating effect on the village but three years later it is fighting back.

He said: "The closure of the works touched, in one way or another every member of Rookhope. Today, we are continuing to look forward and doing some good things."

The villagers are now waiting to hear whether they will get a grant to enable them to go ahead with their plans.

Daniel Bowmen, 15, and Richard Lomas, 25, from Rookhope, were selected by the trust to apply for a grant and find financial support from sponsors.

Last week, Daniel received news that the group had been awarded £2,500 by the County Durham Foundation. Mr Lomas is waiting to hear from a Bradford-based company UnLtd.

Mr Jones said: "Of course we are hoping they will say yes, we think they will. As soon as they do, we will buy a DVD projector with big screen and surround sound.

"The villagers think this is all very innovative and are quite amused that it is being held in the pub."