A COMMUNITY centre that fulfilled a 50-year dream is looking to expand.

The Jubilee Fields Community Centre, in Shildon, has been given a grant of £4,642 for a feasibility study.

Manager Ephraim Bunting said the centre is running to capacity and extra function rooms are needed.

The grant from the Community Development Fund will explore the possibility of building a second floor above the sports hall to provide more storage space and meeting rooms.

Mr Bunting said: "We are doing it because we need more space. It will take a couple of months for the feasibility study to be done and we are going to start it just after the Easter holidays.

"After the study is completed we will then start looking for funding to do the work."

The community centre is mainly run by volunteers, who fought a seven-year battle to build it. It had been a dream harboured by residents to have their own centre since the Jubilee Estate was built in Shildon more than 50 years ago.

They launched a campaign that raised £600,000, the majority of which came from a £450,000 Lottery grant.

Since it was opened in 2001, the centre has been the heart of the community.

It has been so well used that it gained praise from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which uses it as an example of how to make a successful bid for funding.