THOUSANDS of pounds has been allocated to help volunteers carry out work to improve the environment.

The Big Lottery Fund has awarded Tees Valley Wildlife Trust £94,632 in the latest round of grants for the North-East.

The trust, based in Redcar, will use the money on schemes across Teesside, including improvements to footpaths, clearing up litter, tidying grass verges and planting flowers.

Volunteers carrying out work on the improvements will include some people coping with mental health problems.

The trust has been working with Mental Health Matters and the Hutton Centre, in Middlesbrough, to identify people in their care who would derive therapeutic benefits from spending time outdoors.

Jeremy Garside, of Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, said: "We are really delighted to be awarded this funding.

"In researching our project, we have identified a lot of people who are going to benefit from it.

"The great thing is that they are really keen for the work to start so that they can make a positive contribution to their communities."