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 projects to go ahead.

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

North Yorkshire County Council originally received 133 proposals from community groups which hoped that their projects would be submitted to the Government's New Opportunities Fund for consideration.

Now, after trimming that number down to 31, civic leaders are hopeful that the fund's administrators will look favourably on the selected schemes.

They include £267,500 halls for Barton CE primary school, near Richmond, and Sutton-on-the-Forest primary school, near Easingwold.

Proposed hall extensions to Hawes community primary school, Lythe primary school near Whitby, and Topcliffe primary school, near Thirsk, have also been put forward.

Multi-use areas for Middleton Tyas primary school and Wensleydale School at Leyburn, as well as a £610,000 scheme at Bedale High School are among the package.

New playgrounds are required at Reeth community primary school, Stakesby primary school at Whitby, and Hinderwell primary school.

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 believe this is a realistic bid and represents some exciting projects right across the county.

"If they all come to fruition it will represent a terrific step forward for sports and recreation across North Yorkshire.

"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."

There will be detailed discussions at local levels once the awards are announced