A TEESSIDE grandmother is preparing for a shopping trip with a difference - with £6.5m to spend in her home town of Redcar.

The money is from the Government's single regeneration budget (SRB) and Della Marshall, 57, has been elected chairwoman of the West Redcar SRB Priority Group.

Mrs Marshall, of Harwal Road, Redcar, said: "I wanted to be in the priority group because I've seen what can be achieved by local people coming together. Being chair, though, was a bolt from the blue, but I feel very proud to have been appointed and very conscious of my responsibilities."

Mrs Marshall is a founder member of a residents' group in the Harwal area of Redcar and is now chairwoman of its action group.

She successfully helped attract funds to carry out a series of environmental improvements.

She said: "I've owned my own home in the Coatham area since 1991 and I've seen the restrictions on budgets for the area. The SRB money is a chance to put an awful lot of things right and I'm sure the priority group will tackle their task with a real zeal."

Redcar and Cleveland SRB manager Martin Jefferson said: "One of the main aims of SRB investment is to involve the community in spending plans."