GRANTS of nearly £200,000 will enable four community projects in Ferryhill to be completed.

Ferryhill Town Council has been awarded £35,000 from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund to create a Doorstep Green.

The community is the first in the North-East to get approval for the project, which will regenerate the Surtees play area through landscaping, creating woodlands and footpaths, and installing railings, a youth shelter, seats and art features. There are also plans for a basketball practice and five-a-side football pitch and disabled access.

Sally Rogers, of the Countryside Agency, which distributes the grants, said: "Our grant only goes to community groups prepared to put the time and effort in."

Stephen Armstrong, of Groundwork East Durham, said: "The money is now here, but this is where the hard work begins and there is an awful lot of onus on the community to get involved."

The Doorstep Green project will also benefit from a share of a six-figure sum awarded from the Aggregates Levy Fund. About £150,000 has been approved in principle to be divided between four projects.

The money will allow completion of the King George V playing field project, which will include footpaths, lighting, safety surfacing and a BMX track.

The Ferryhill youth caf is to get a new perimeter wall and a new car maintenance garage, plus a garden which the youngsters using the caf are going to design.

The Mainsforth Sports Complex will be finished with a perimeter wall, railings and a replacement fence.

Ferryhill Town Council executive officer Jamie Corrigan said: "Councillors are delighted because there is a little bit there for everyone.

"It means we can almost complete four projects which have been on-going for years.

"We are looking for a little bit of extra money for the car maintenance side of the youth caf, but, apart from that, everything else has enough funds for completion."