AN investment in providing top-class sporting facilities for youngsters has been announced by council leaders.

Hambleton District Council has awarded a £30,000 grant to the project to bring a £610,000 all-weather pitch to Bedale.

The authority had already given one hand-out of £30,000 to the scheme and it is hoped the latest award will help secure £485,000 of National Lottery funding.

Work on creating the synthetic floodlit pitch on Bedale High School land is due to begin late next year. Changing rooms and a building linking the facility to the town's leisure centre and school sports hall are also planned.

Council leisure spokesperson, Susan Latter, said: "This is another exciting project for Bedale. It will allow new activities for young people in the town to begin, as well as enabling the school to expand its sports programme.

"Improving community facilities, health and the quality of life is an important part of our work as a district council and this scheme will do just that."

Project leader Dave Goodwin said: "Working in partnership with Bedale High School, a bid for Lottery has already been made.

"But this extra £30,000 will make the shortfall still to be raised in Bedale very small. This will be a great addition, not only to the sports facilities already in Bedale, but to the district as a whole."