RESIDENTS campaigning for a new community centre for their village have held a successful carnival day – paving the way for a renewed application for lottery cash funding.

The event was held at Sherburn Hill Primary School in the village near Durham on Saturday, to demonstrate to Heritage Lottery Fund bosses they have organisational skills.

Leaders of the newly-founded Sherburn Hill Hub hope to secure a new community centre for the village, support groups and clubs.

Hub chair Kath Pouton said: “We applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to build a new community centre .

“Because we are a new group they wanted us to to show we were capable of organising things off our own back - to show we were capable of applying for the grant.

“The day was a resounding success with more than 350 people attending.

“We had a host of events including a bouncy castle, climbing wall, and scales and tails for the children, as well as the Salvation Army band playing music.”

Durham County Council has committed £400,000 through Durham Villages Regeneration Company (DVRC).

The centre, which would cost an estimated £1m, would be built off Front Street, close to the children’s play area and where Keepmoat is creating a new housing estate to be called The Pastures.

Villagers will be making a renewed application and hope to get the bulk of the funding needed.