VILLAGERS are launching a bid for funding to modernise their village hall.

The building in Middridge, near Shildon, needs work costing about £200,000 to provide a new roof, kitchen and boiler room.

Villagers are hoping applications to the National Lottery and other charity organisations will help them to pay for the work.

Since it opened in 1978, the hall has been well used by the close-knit community.

But in recent years its facilities have started to decline.

Some of the work has already been started with the help of a grant from the Awards for All Scheme, which paid for new windows, and fundraising by the villagers.

Middridge Village Association treasurer Doreen Sadler said a refurbishment fund had been set up and money raised through that had meant a new kitchen could be installed.

Mrs Sadler said: "We went to a Newton Aycliffe-based firm who are building the units for the kitchen in the hall, so should we want to move the kitchen in the future that can be done.

"We had to do something about the kitchen sooner rather than later, because the facilities were a bit outdated.''

Mrs Sadler said that the association was working with CAVOS, a voluntary organisation for the Sedgefield area, and Durham Rural Community Council to try to assemble funding bids.

She said: "It is quite a difficult job. There is all sorts of criteria that we have to meet, and because we are not classed as a deprived area it is even harder."

Mrs Sadler said she would appeal to businesses that have links with the village to offer donations or help with the work.

She said: "We have done a survey in the village to see what villagers want and we have had a good response."