BIG plans for a small but unique museum have been unveiled.

The Tom Leonard Mining Museum in Skinningrove has been given a £130,000 loan by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

That cash will be spent by the museum's managers on buying its buildings from landlords. The museum will then qualify for more lottery money.

The loan was approved by the council's executive on Tuesday.

The museum features a 250-yard underground mine shaft and is the only ironstone museum in the UK. It opened in 1983 and attracts more than 5,000 visitors a year,

The management team has outlined plans to increase the size of the attraction, provide disabled access, build a classroom, create a family history centre and install an auditorium.

The work can take place only if cash bids from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Union are granted next September.

The museum's company director, Janette Holt, said: "We're very excited about what we're trying to do, but we're taking it one step at a time.

"A big step was when we became nationally registered as a museum back in February which helps us tremendously."

Council leader David Walsh said: "The museum had to have the money fairly quickly to take advantage of this opportunity.

"This is a lovely museum and a major asset to Skinningrove and East Cleveland."

The museum, otherwise known as the Cleveland Ironstone Museum, was named after Tom Leonard, the late journalist who helped to create it. Visitors can experience a mock blast and see rare photographs.

At its peak the mine employed 10,000 people.