HOTELS, guesthouses and campsites in Redcar and Cleveland are to be given a helping hand on to the national tourism map.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is hoping to obtain inspections through the English Tourism Council to give star ratings to accommodation establishments in the borough, which will also get membership reductions for the Northumbria Tourist Board.

Funding of £5,000 has comefrom the Redcar Renaissance programme, which is part of the West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget, and £2,820 from the East Cleveland Rural Development Programme, a local arm of regional development agency One NorthEast.

Peter Lane, assistant director for community development with the borough council, said: "Tourism is one of the borough's biggest industries. We estimate it brings in 1.5m visitors a year generating around £40m.

"We are sure there are plenty of establishments deserving star ratings. This is their opportunity to achieve that."