Poorer areas of the North-East being encouraged to apply for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The region has traditionally less funding than other parts of the country and some areas of it get less than some of their neighbours.

Now the fund has set up a regional office in Newcastle and assembled a development team to assist applications for projects in disadvantaged areas.

Officials have identified areas, including Chester-le-Street, Easington and Wear valley in County Durham, Stockton, and parts of Newcastle, that have submitted few applications or are designated as deprived.

Since 1994 seven awards have been made in Easington amounting to £14.19 per resident -- 37 per cent down on the national average.

Wear Valley has received 11 awards, totalling £7.86 per resident -- 43.32 per cent less than average.

Fund officials are keen to promote the idea that heritage is not just stately homes and art galleries and are looking to help schemes that preserve the past of humbler communities.

The development team will help with the complexities of applying for grants and encourage the development of more applications for grants of between £5,000 and £50,000.

"I don't know why we get fewer applications from these areas,'' said Heritage Lottery Fund regional manager Dr Keith Bartlett.

"Historically the North-East doesn't apply for the funding that other regions do _ although it is the most successful area when it does.

"We have reduced the application form by 37 pages and changed the requirement on grants up to £50,000 for match funding from catch to payment in kind.

"We are saying to people you tell us what you think heritage is and we'll try to fund it.''

Dr Bartlett said projects on local folk songs and folk memories could be of interest as well as schemes to preserve old buildings "that aren't listed buildings but are considered to have intrinsic value to the community''.

The fund has made more than 450 awards to the region totalling £93m over the years and has announced £1m for a regeneration scheme that will improve the townscape of Gateshead, following on from the town's prestigious quayside development.

For further details about the fund call its regional office on 0191-255 7570.