RESIDENTS of a Darlington estate are looking forward to creating a modern facility after receiving a major Lottery grant.

Members of the Red Hall Community Association are celebrating the award of £123,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

It will go towards the cost of refurbishing and extending the Red Hall community centre.

The project will cost a total of £566,000 and the organisation is hoping to secure the remainder of the money needed from SureStart, the Northern Rock Foundation and other grant-giving trusts.

Centre bosses yesterday told of their delight at the cash boost and pledged to step up their efforts to complete the scheme.

Red Hall Community Association chairman Tom Cowan said: "We are thrilled and delighted to be awarded this grant. It is a fantastic start.

"We will continue to work hard to secure the remaining funding and are looking forward to developing the community centre for the residents of Red Hall."

The community association is a registered charity and was first established to serve the area in 1978.

Its committee is made up of local resident volunteers and the present community centre is Red Hall primary school's old nursery building.

At present, about 160 people - both children and adults - attend weekly activities staged by groups at the centre.

Activities there include a baby clinic, the Citizens' Advice Bureau drop-in facility, bingo, line dancing events, adult learning sessions, a youth club, play activities and a disco.

The new-look community centre will accommodate a housing office, tool library, drop-in caf, changing rooms, two halls, meeting rooms and will provide a base for SureStart activities.

The committee is hoping to secure the remaining funding within the next six months, and is eager for building work on the centre to start next year.

Earlier this year, revamping the community centre was identified by Red Hall residents as the top priority for improving the area.