A COMMUNITY will get a new village hall, thanks to a grant of more than £330,000.

Worsall Village Hall, in Worsall, near Yarm, was built from timber after the closure of the village school, where community activities had previously been held.

But the hall, which was built in 1964 on land donated by the Bainbridge family of Worsall Manor, needs to be replaced.

Major problems became evident in 2000 and, since then, the village hall committee has been raising funds to replace it.

To complete the task will require £600,000 and now, thanks to the £332,863 grant from the Big Lottery Fund, the committee is only £50,000 away from its target.

The grant comes from the fund's Community Buildings programme, which has set aside £50m to help rebuild village halls and other community centres.

An environmentally-friendly community hub will replace the hall, which is beyond repair. Materials to build the centre will be sourced locally, to further benefit the community.

Project co-ordinator Vivienne Targett said: "We are absolutely delighted to receive the news of this grant. The wooden structure of the old hall is at the end of its life, unfortunately, and, without this award, the rebuild would be unattainable and the focus of community life would disappear.

"We've carried out our own sustainability studies, and plan to use locally produced materials wherever possible. It would also be nice to share the knowledge we've gathered with other village hall groups.

"The new building will be a beacon for community good practice in respect of sustainability and energy efficiency."

Mrs Targett said the centre would offer new opportunities, particularly to young families moving into the area.

The local theatre group plans to hold its pantomimes there, and local historians will be able to use the hall for research, as it will become the home of the Worsall archive and will have IT links.

Vanessa White, head of the fund's Yorkshire and Humber region, said: "The Community Buildings programme funds buildings that are a focus for neighbourhood activity and house a range of services that meet communities' needs. Worsall Village Hall will benefit many people living in the area, and we are pleased to be supporting such a great venture."