A LOCAL authority grant will help ensure that a County Durham football club will play on following the current pandemic.

Non-league club Tow Law Town AFC has been awarded £1,800 in funding from Durham County Council’s 3 Towns Area Action Partnership (AAP).

The contribution will cover the utilities costs that the club has incurred during the coronavirus outbreak.

As a result of the lockdown it is without a primary source of income and applied to the local AAP for assistance to meet its various overheads, helping to safeguard the club’s future.

Organisations across County Durham are receiving financial boosts from the council to support them during the pandemic.

Sandy Denney, AAP coordinator for the 3 Towns Partnership, said: “Tow Law Town AFC is an important part of the town’s community and of the surrounding rural villages, and it has a long and valuable history stretching back 130 years. “Assisting community organisations like this in their upkeep will allow us to ensure their facilities and services are still available to everyone when reopening can commence. I know the club is looking forward to welcoming supporters both old and new when it is able.”

Steve Moralee, club secretary, said: “Tow Law Town AFC wishes to place on record our thanks and appreciation to the 3 Towns AAP for the grant in these very difficult times. We will be using the grant towards our ongoing utility costs and it is a great help to keep organisations going during this time of uncertainty.”