TRAIN enthusiasts restoring a rural railway line were given a cash boost yesterday with the announcement of new funding from the Northern Rock Foundation.

Weardale Railways Ltd is being loaned £418,000 to use as working capital for its project to reopen the Weardale Railway as a heritage and passenger line.

Another 16 groups are sharing grants totalling £900,000 from the foundation, which targets disadvantaged areas in County Dur-ham, Darlington and Teesside.

The Chester-le-Street and District Council for Voluntary Services and Volunteer Bureau is being given £84,096 to support running costs.

Another £84,961 is going to the Sedgefield and District Advice and Information Service to fund specialist debt advice counselling.

Mental Health Care is receiving £42,973 to employ a business manager and support running costs of a new social enterprise in County Durham.

The Heugh Battery Trust will have an extra £45,000 towards its work restoring a First World War battery in Hartlepool.

A further £43,026 goes to Grange Road Action for Youth to provide core funding for its young people's drop-in centre in Darlington.

Leo Finn, who chairs the foundation, said: "Our investments in organisations in County Durham, Darlington and Teesside aim to tackle the high levels of need across the region's towns and rural areas which do not always qualify for help from national funders or from the Government.

"Through the hard work of the organisations involved, these grants will make a real difference to local communities."