COMMUNITY groups across County Durham are celebrating cash windfalls after scooping a share of the National Lottery.

Almost £10,000 will be donated to groups in the south of the county through the Lottery's Awards for All scheme to benefit people in the area.

Among those whose luck was in were two organisations in the Spennymoor area, Eden Residents' Association and Kirk Merrington Community Association.

Eden Residents' Association was formed a year ago to clean up drugs and vandalism blackspots and foster a new sense of pride and community spirit.

It was awarded £5,000 for its main project - the creation of a community garden on two overgrown plots at Timothy Terrace Allotments.

Assistant treasurer Pauline Freeman said: "This enables us to erect a security fence and buy materials we need to get started on the garden.

"It will make it possible to keep the area safe and tidy and make it accessible to disabled residents."

Kirk Merrington Community Association, which runs the village's community centre, has been handed £3,750 to complete its £6,000 fundraising target to install dividing doors in the main hall.

Secretary Diane Thompson said: "We have been trying to raise the money for six years, now we can finally get the work done. We need to make better use of the space and diversify to keep the funds coming in so the grant means an awful lot to us.

"We will be able to offer a venue for more local activities. When drama rehearsals are going on a meeting can be held on the other side of the doors.

"We will still be able to use the main hall as one big room for shows and produce markets, which are held on the third Saturday of the month." November's market will be held this Saturday.

Shildon Town Council received £850 towards a community Christmas fair, which will include workshops in local schools to make banners and costumes for the event.

The fair will be held at St John's Church on December 5, the same day as a procession through the town and the switching on of festive lights.