A COMMUNITY has secured a £5,000 grant to help it build a museum.

The Shildon Community Rail Trail (Vehicles From Bygone Ages) has been given the money by the National Lottery Awards for All fund. The money will help volunteers create a museum of horse-drawn vehicles.

In a double celebration, the group is also about to move into offices after months of searching for a suitable site.

The Community Rail Trail, which has established itself as a registered charity, will be based at the former offices of Shildon's Locomotion Museum, in Soho Street.

Christine Dowson, of the group, said: "These are exciting times for us. We have come a long way and it will be nice to have our own offices.

"We are over the moon that we have got the grant. It will enable us to move forward with our goal of bringing another quality museum to Shildon.''

Sedgefield Borough Council has been helping the group to find a permanent office and offered The Daniel Adamson Coach House, in Byerley Road, in the town. Mrs Dowson said: "The Daniel Adamson Coach House would have been a fitting place to be, considering its history with horse-drawn railway, but there was too much work to be done to bring it up to standard and we did not have the money."

There is also work to be done at the new offices and it is hoped that volunteers will come forward to help with decorating.

It is also hoped that some may help with donations of office equipment, such as chairs or computers.

Mrs Dowson said: "Obviously, we would love to hear from anyone who would be able to help us either with decorating or with donations of office equipment or even people who may be able to man the office for us from time to time.''

Help has already come from volunteer agency Cavos, which has offered to staff the office twice a week but, eventually, it is hoped that it will be open more often.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact secretary Richard Wigham on (01388) 527737.