SPORTS and recreation facilities across North Yorkshire could be in line for a multi-million pound boost.

County council chiefs have submitted a bid for £3.4m in Government funding, which could allow many exciting projects to go ahead.

The schemes include proposals for new sports halls, improvements to existing halls, playgrounds, outdoor adventure activities, artificial and natural grass pitches.

The authority originally received 133 proposals from community groups in the hope that they would be submitted to the Government's New Opportunities Fund for consideration.

And now, after trimming that number down to 31, civic leaders are hopeful that the grant-givers will look favourably on the chosen schemes.

They include a £267,500 hall for Barton CE primary school, near Richmond, and hall extensions to Hawes community primary school and Topcliffe primary school, near Thirsk.

A multi-use area for Wensleydale School at Leyburn and a £610,000 scheme at Bedale High School are included in the package. A new playground is also wanted at Reeth community primary school.

Figures for the projects have been submitted to the New Opportunities Fund and there will be detailed discussions at local levels once the awards are announced.

Councillor Carl Les, the authority's executive member for education, said: "We are very hopeful that these schemes will get the go-ahead from the New Opportunities Fund, but unfortunately there is no absolute guarantee. We are delighted with the response we have had. We are naturally disappointed that we can't process all the schemes.

"We will be talking to those schools left out of the submission to see what options might be available to them to develop their own particular projects.