COMMUNITY groups and bingo players will be able to enjoy better facilities at a Redcar club after a £67,000 cash boost.

Four keen bingo players were guests of honour at the re-opening of the town's 9-0 Club in West Dyke Road this week.

The women - Pamela Woodhouse, 85, Hilda Mould, 82, Alice Irvine, 82 and Gertie Green, 80, shared the ribbon-cutting with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Mayor, Councillor Madge Moses.

Bingo has been playedat the club twice a week since the 1950s, but now users will be able to enjoy improved surroundings, thanks to funding from One NorthEast through the West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget.

The building has a large function room, with seating for 40 people, a kitchen area, improved access for disabled users - with double doors directly on to the car park area - and new toilets.

The club's name for the past 15 years came from the numbers game.

Treasurer Linda Metcalfe, who has been its caller for 20 years, said: "I say 'start the board - number one and as far as we go - 9-0'.

"It always used to make one man giggle.

"I went over to talk to him and he said they were looking a name for the club, rather than call it the over-65s. That's how we got the 9-0 Club."

George Robinson, chairman of the West Redcar SRB Priority Group, said: "It's a big improvement to what was there before and I look forward to it being used by as many community groups as possible."

Bingo is played on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6.30pm, with the games starting at 7.15pm and finishing at 8.30pm.

For more details about the 9-0 Club and information on hiring the building, contact Ms Metcalfe on (01642) 488317.