A MEDIEVAL castle is to be brought back to use as an education and visitor centre after winning National Lottery funding.

Hylton Castle, in Sunderland, is to be transformed into a new £4.4m centre including classrooms, café and exhibition spaces.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has today (Tuesday) announced £2.9m funding for the project, to be matched with £1.5m from Sunderland City Council.

The Castle Gatehouse project will see three floors created within the existing 14th Century structure, which will interpret the history of the castle and offer learning and exhibition spaces for use by schools, colleges and universities.

Cllr Denny Wilson, of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are all delighted at the success of the final bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will allow us to develop the ambitious plans drawn up during the bid process to return Hylton Castle to the centre of community life."

The Heritage Lottery Fund has also announced a £2.5m grant to transform the Old Fire Station, built in 1907, into the hub for a new culture quarter in Sunderland city centre.

The building has stood empty since 1992 and will be brought back into use with dance and drama studios, a heritage centre and a bar and restaurant.