A MULTI-MILLION pound facelift package for part of the North-East is unveiled today.

More than £24m is to be invested in 50 projects in Teesside, Hartlepool and Darlington.

Alistair Arkley, chairman of the Tees Valley Partnership, said the plan aimed to make the area one of the country's regeneration success stories.

Targets for the next financial year include the creation of nearly 1,000 jobs, 350 businesses and 3,000 training places.

Projects include £2.75m for a modern art gallery at Middlesbrough and £1m towards the creation of the University of Teesside's Digital City, in the town, which will bring together digital technologies.

There will be regeneration funding for schemes along the Tees Corridor, support for the Middlesbrough Enterprise Academy, and £2.4m for further development of the University of Durham's Queen's campus, in Stockton.

Money will go to health and learning facilities at Billingham and on-line business initiatives at Stockton.

Regeneration of the Teesside and Hartlepool coastline is included in the package, together with funding for a scheme to promote Darlington's tourism and railway heritage.

The development of an offshore engineering centre at Hartlepool is another key scheme, together with tourism promotion and backing for Hartlepool's Victoria Harbour project and Queen's Meadow Business Park.

Money is to be spent on the development of east Cleveland's Pioneer Process Park, its rural programme and the Guisborough Market Town Initiative.

Mr Arkley said: "We cannot pretend we can turn vision into reality overnight, but the process is now well under way, and what is important is that the whole area is united behind the programme and local people see that things really are happening and happening for the better."

The partnership is also backing a £200,000 feasibility study into proposals for riverside developments at Middlesbrough and Stockton.