A £500,000 project to build a new church hall has been given a £20,000 boost.

Fundraisers hoping to rebuild St John’s Church Hall in Meadowfield, near Durham have been pledged £19,000 from the Durham County Council neighbourhood budgets of Councillors Paul Taylor and John Turnbull and a further £1,000 from the Persimmon Homes Community Champions fund.

Parochial Church Council treasurer Lesley Baxter said the council money would be spent on the planning stage, with anything left over going on the building costs.

A further £124,000 is needed to hit the campaign target, Ms Baxter added.

The effort was launched after the old hall was destroyed by fire in March 2014.

A pre-planning application for the new building, a single-storey structure with a hall, kitchen and disabled toilet, has been filed to the council for consideration.

Further grant applications are pending and a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) has been founded, for which new trustees are being sought.

A family fundraising event will be held at the neighbouring church on Saturday, July 4, from noon. There will be stalls, refreshments, children’s entertainment and more and proceeds will be split between the church and the hall project.

Brandon’s football club will host a family fun day on Saturday, August 22, from noon. Entry costs 50p.

Meadowfield Royal British Legion Club will hold a music night with band Six Nowt on Friday, September 25, from 7pm. Tickets are £3.

For more information, visit facebook.com/stjohnshallmeadowfield or call Ms Baxter on 07846-542-035.