RESIDENTS in a former County Durham mining town have launched a petition to try to persuade the Government to intervene over a council bid for £4.5m National Lottery cash.

Members of Stanley Action Group Enterprises (Sage) want Heritage Minister Chris Smith to speak for them in what is the fourth time Derwentside District Council has bid for money to build a new swimming pool in the town.

The group made the move after the Lottery agent, Sport England, asked the council to bring in outside architects to improve design work on its pool plans. It was the third time the council's plans had been knocked back by the agency.

Stanley lost its swimming pool in 1997 when the 30-year-old Burns pool was bulldozed after structural problems were discovered.

The council's first bid for £7m to build the pool at the town's sport complex, the Louisa Centre, was refused. A second scaled-down bid was also refused last year.

The council appealed but was asked earlier this year to resubmit its third bid with design alterations, even though Sport England supported the application in principle.

The latest bid must be submitted by August 30 and the council is expecting a final decision to be announced in October.

Sage member Maureen Storey, 67, explained why the group started the petition. She said: "We can't afford any more mistakes by the council or anyone else and we really need it to be sorted out this time.

"I know Chris Smith is involved in the Lottery and was saying that the North was missing out on Lottery money. That's why we hope he might intervene in this. We need this for Stanley to try to get some life back in the place."

Derwentside council director of public services Mike Clark said: "The council looks forward to publicising a successful conclusion to this process in October."

Leader of the council Councillor Alex Watson stressed that, although the council was very hopeful, the result was not foregone conclusion.

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