MILLIONS of pounds of National Lottery funding is to be pumped into deprived areas in the region, the Government announced yesterday.

As part of the joint Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund's Fair Share scheme, four areas of the North-East will be handed a slice of the £168.75m Lottery cash set aside for disadvantaged communities.

The areas due to receive the first batch of funding are Blyth Valley, Darlington, Stockton and Wansbeck, which have been identified as areas that have a poor track record in accessing Lottery funding.

Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, made the announcement in the House of Commons yesterday, and the Lottery funding will be handed out later this year.

The Fair Share scheme aims to help improve health, education and environmental issues in some of the country's most disadvantaged areas.

Ms Jowell said: "The Lottery is an integral part of the life of communities right across the country, but it has not served some as well as it might. Fair Share will begin to address that imbalance and I hope that the towns and areas that have been selected will make good and imaginative use of the cash they will receive.

"Many of these places buy large numbers of Lottery tickets. I am very pleased that they will now be able to enjoy the investment that the Lottery makes."