VILLAGERS on the outskirts of Darlington are celebrating receiving a cash grant to refurbish their village hall.
The £57,000 grant to High Coniscliffe from waste management company Cleartop will allow residents to pay for renovation of the building.
The village hall, which is more than 100 years old, was the village school until the early 1960s.
It now provides a focus to the villages of High Coniscliffe, Low Coniscliffe and Merrybent.
In previous years, the hall was a hive of activity, but more recently it has fallen into decline.
High and Low Coniscliffe and Merrybent Community Association was formed to tackle the problem.
Money has already been raised and spent on renovating the kitchen and toilet areas.
The latest grant will pay for roof and window replacements, new heating and lighting systems, and repointing of the stonework.
Dick Lawson, chairman of the fundraising committee, said: "We can move with confidence into the new millennium, and the hall into an enhanced roll as a focal point for our communities."
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