TEN schools in the North-East have been awarded more than £7.7m to improve sports facilities.

Schools and communities across the region will benefit from the money from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

In County Durham, four schools - Dene Community School, in Peterlee, Bishop Barrington Comprehensive, in Bishop Auckland, Wolsingham School and Community College, and Deerness Valley Comprehensive, in Ushaw Moor -were awarded more than £1.5m each for new four-court sports halls.

Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council's cabinet member for education, said: "The award will provide state-of-the-art teaching and community facilities on the doorstep for huge numbers of children and adults in our sport-hungry communities.

"As well as meeting the needs of school sport, they will provide first-class facilities for local sports teams, community clubs and sports development agencies."

In Middlesbrough, Tollesby and Beverley Special Schools were awarded £102,124 to provide new games areas, and Priory Woods Special School was awarded nearly £100,000 for a floodlit games area for its 150 pupils and 900 pupils at nearby Ormesby Secondary School.

In Sunderland, the Monument Consortium of four primary schools -Barnwell, New Penshaw, Our Lady of Peace and Shiney Row schools -was awarded £789,174 to build a three-court sports hall for badminton, football and short tennis, with changing and shower facilities.