A RIVERSIDE town may be about to land a first for disabled anglers.

Plans are being drawn up to spend more than £100,000 on special staging on a bank of the River Tees, at Thornaby.

Thornaby Town Council hopes to secure fishing rights for part of the bank owned by Stockton Borough Council, behind Cornfield Road.

Fishing platforms would be built catering for both able-bodied and disabled anglers.

Thornaby council is planning a £90,000 bid for Heritage Lottery funding.

The facility would give blind people, wishing to take up fishing, as well as anglers in wheelchairs, access to the riverside.

Councillor Ivor Morgan, of Thornaby council, said: "The river is becoming very popular for fishing, but there is not a great deal of access for disabled people.''

Thornaby council has pledged £10,000 to the scheme.