MARKET towns are being targeted in an initiative aimed at helping them overcome the effects of economic change.

Investment of more than £1m is expected to be injected into towns chosen for the scheme, which could become a model for nationwide efforts to revitalise rural communities.

The regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, and the Countryside Agency have combined to create a programme which is designed to help market towns.

The first six towns to take part in the initiative will be announced in the summer, with up to 18 involved over the next six years.

Towns in the running include Richmond, Northallerton, Thirsk, Leyburn, Pickering and Malton.

The two agencies will invest an average of £340,000 into each of the chosen towns over a three-year period, to pay for an action plan, administration costs of a local partnership and funding of specific projects.

Matched funding will see each town participating in the scheme receive more than £1m.

Project manager David Gluck said: "The initiative is designed to lead the way and help assess the most effective ways for market towns to re-establish themselves as regional centres.

"Each selected town will be supported to produce an action plan for the development of their community and surrounding rural hinterland."

The plan will identify projects, which will then be supported over the remaining three years.

Mr Gluck said towns with populations of 2,000 to 30,000, which acted as centres for a wide rural area, would be considered to take part in the programme.

But he stressed it would not be a competitive fund, and each town would be chosen on the basis of need, opportunity and commitment of local partners.

He said: "Some towns are adapting to meet the changing demands and are thriving, but there are many which are continuing to feel the pressure. It is these market towns which we aim to help revitalise."

He said the initiative would act as a pilot scheme and, if it proved successful, could then be adopted in other parts of the country.