RESIDENTS of a former mining village are hoping to rejuvenate their community with two ambitious projects.

Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, has suffered in recent years due to a lack of amenities, but residents are hoping to get funding to help build a new community centre and a Millennium garden.

The Grange Villa Community Enterprise group is currently putting together a bid for £600,000 in National Lottery cash to help it to build a community centre in the village.

The village's run-down former school is being used to house the current community centre, but residents say a new building would help to rejuvenate community spirit and give villagers a real focal point. Without a pub and other local amenities, Grange Villa's only genuine meeting place is the workingmen's club.

It's hoped a community centre with a range of facilities such as a sports hall, caf, crche, IT suite and a training room with conference facilities will help to revitalise the village.

The enterprise group wants to have the project up and running by spring next year.

Meanwhile Grange Villa Action Group has applied for £20,000 funds from several agencies to turn a village eyesore into a Millennium garden.

The derelict land, in Front Street, is currently an overgrown mess, but action group members want to transform it into a landscaped garden complete with chessboard-style centrepiece, shrub and rockery beds and disabled access.

Groundwork West Durham will carry out the work when the land is leased from Chester-le-Street District Council.