UP TO six primary schools could benefit from new sports and arts facilities worth £1.75m if a bid is successful.

Middlesbrough Borough Council is applying for the sum from the £130m on offer under the Government's Space for Sports and the Arts scheme.

As one of 64 authorities eligible for the initiative, Middlesbrough has been provisionally allocated the sum bid for.

A working group being coordinated by Barbara Comiskey, the authority's corporate director of education, is liaising with schools to prepare its application for the funding, which is targeted at areas of greatest deprivation.

The scheme is designed to improve educational facilities, build links between schools and communities and encourage social inclusion in districts where such projects as Education Action Zones, Excellence in Cities and Health Action Zones operate.

Geoff Connolly, Middlesbrough council's commissioner for education, said: "A lack of adequate space for sport and arts activities in primary schools has been identified as a key issue in Ofsted inspection reports across the country."

Middlesbrough's bid will include four to six projects. If it passes the first stage, the authority will be invited to provide more details by October 2001. Successful applicants should find out next December.