A COUNTY Durham MP has given his support to a £6m scheme to upgrade a community hall.

Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster visited Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle, yesterday to inspect the ambitious plans for the building's refurbishment.

The project includes the construction of a 176-seat theatre, as well as a dance hall, a cafe and bar, a toddlers' play area, a technology suite and a meeting room.

Mr Foster said: "I think that Barnard Castle has been crying out for this sort of facility for as long as I have been coming here, which is about 28 years.

"The hall is in such an important and wonderful location. Very rarely do you get buildings of this nature right off the main street.

"Barney is such a friendly and neighbourly place. My instinct is that this will be a huge success, because people will want to use it."

Elizabeth Conran, a trustee of Witham Hall, welcomed Mr Foster's comments and said: "This is going to be a big challenge for us, making a dream into bricks and mortar."