THOUSANDS of North-East youngsters will get better access to sports facilities after schemes encouraging participation got a £320,000 boost.

Across the region, projects helping young people to take up rugby, football, cricket, and gymnastics were among 81 projects awarded a total of £323,277 from the National Lottery's Awards for All.

Other projects to benefit include a community-based wildlife garden and sculpture park, a marching jazz band and a pre-school group.

Awards for All is the small grants scheme run by the Big Lottery Fund in partnership with the Arts Council, Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. It makes awards of between £300 and £10,000 to community groups and voluntary organisations.

Among sports groups getting cash were Newcastle Knights Rugby Football League Club - £4,987 to bring young people into the game.

Seaton Carew Juniors Football Club, Hartlepool, got £3,999 to improve training facilities, while Heighington Primary School, near Darlington, got £5,000 for its wildlife garden and sculpture park.

James Turner, of the Big Lottery Fund North-East, said: "One of the best things about awarding lottery grants is being able to help all members of the community and we hope these awards will make a real difference. It just goes to show that sometimes quite small sums of money can have a big impact."

To find out more about Awards for All, visit www.awardsforall.org.uk or call 0845 600 20 40.