A COMMUNITY leader who claims an estate has been repeatedly overlooked for funding has written to Tony Blair to appeal for help.

For five years, June Goodchild, chairwoman of the Easterside Community Council, Middlesbrough, has fought for extra cash for the area.

She claims that, while other communities have been swamped with funding, Easterside has always missed out.

Last summer, she led a party of children to Middlesbrough Town Hall to demand a playground and other basic facilities. Now she has written to the Prime Minister, asking him to champion her cause.

She hopes he will urge Middlesbrough Borough Council to donate some of its £1.3m allocation from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, announced last week.

Mrs Goodchild, 58, of Broadwell Road, said: "We have no facilities for anyone. We haven't even got a community centre. It's not for want of trying - we have done everything to draw attention to the situation, but people don't listen."

She said that Easterside has been rejected for several grants. "We heard that funding was available from the Hustler Fund for sporting facilities, but the money went to Kader for a playground. We can't get Single Regeneration Budget funding because we don't fall within the right areas," she said.

While Easterside is not as deprived as other Middlesbrough communities, Mrs Goodchild attributed this to residents' own efforts.

A council spokesman said: "We are working out the details of the funding now and they will be in line with local needs."