FUNDRAISERS at a community centre are celebrating a cash windfall to boost their refurbishment project.

Mainsforth and District Community Centre, in Ferryhill Station, has been awarded a £4,000 regeneration grant for the improvement works to the miners' institute.

The cash will be used to decorate the outside of the building and improve the electricity supply.

The centre's committee has been raising money for two years to make the building more accessible and a better environment.

Nearly £80,000 has been spent so far, which has included disabled services and a downstairs kitchen.

Committee secretary Emma Jones said: "This money makes a big difference. We have made good progress inside but from the outside it doesn't look very nice.

"Tidying it up will hopefully make it more noticeable and more people and groups will think about using the community centre.

"One of our regular users has recently had to leave so we have two rooms for rent."