A MUSEUM which charts the history of Teesside as a powerhouse of the industrial revolution is planning a £1.5m revamp and expansion to boost visitor numbers.

Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, in Skinningrove, east Cleveland - which celebrates the legacy of Teesside's 83 ironstone mines - is bidding for £800,000 of Heritage Lottery money.

It has been successful in the first round of the bid but needs to raise £700,000 by November to receive the full amount from the Heritage Lottery fund.

The independent museum, which receives no local authority funding, hopes the expansion will bring more tourism and employment into Skinningrove's Iron Valley - one of the most deprived areas in the country.

The museum was pulled back from the brink of bankruptcy four years ago and now gets 14,000 visitors a year.

Demand for the museum's heritage and education services has more than doubled in the past four years and the revamp aims to redevelop and expand the buildings.

Project manager Graham Banwell said: "At the moment we turn away about 1,000 a year because we can only take 12 people down the mine at any one time.

"We plan to reduce the time the tour takes and expand the exhibition space so that we can accommodate those extra people."

New exhibition spaces would be installed to display the museum's burgeoning collection, offering visitors more varied content with permanent and temporary arts and history exhibitions, as well as live performances.

The classroom space would also be expanded.

Gill Boag-Monroe, chairwoman of trustees, said: “We are delighted to have the support of the HLF behind this monumental project which will ensure the preservation of our nationally significant collection for posterity, bringing jobs and tourism into the area and a substantial boost to the local economy.”

Situated on the site of Loftus Mine, the first mine to be opened in Cleveland, the Mining Museum celebrates the legacy of ironstone mining and the broader industrial heritage of the region, and shows how the mines supplied iron worldwide to build railways and bridges across the British Empire.

Ivor Crowther, head of HLF North East, said: “On the site of Cleveland’s first and longest standing ironstone mine, CIMM tells the story of the industry, from its peak production period to its subsequent decline – resulting in the largest collection of ironstone mining heritage in the country.

"Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to support this project which will provide much-needed space and opportunities for visitors and volunteers and build on the legacy of the dedicated group of volunteers and ex-miners who opened the museum over three decades ago. We look forward to seeing the plans develop."