CHRISTMAS has come early for a remote dales village with a £300,000 National Lottery grant aimed at making its town hall the heart of the community.

The money, from the Lottery's Community Fund, will be spent on refurbishing the hall at St John's Chapel, in Weardale, County Durham.

Much of it will be spent on updating the heating, toilet and other public facilities in the hall, which was largely rebuilt in 1952 following a fire.

But some of the grant has been earmarked for re-modelling the stage and bringing the building "up to speed" with a DVD cinema and room for art exhibitions and theatre and musical productions.

Sue Tallentire, vice-chairman of the hall management committee, said: "What is most important is that this building should be both a social and educatonal hub for all the communties dotted around Upper Weardale.

"When we started putting this bid together, a year ago, we never thought we could achieve this. We are absolutely overwhelmed and very proud."