GRASSROOTS sport in the North-East is to benefit from a cash boost.

The funding - £770,000 in total - announced by Sport England will go to 12 community projects in the region covering a number of sports.

A £20m pot has been made available nationally as a result of the three-year Community Club Development Programme. The successful projects include:

* Chester-le-Street Cricket Club, £26,789 for a synthetic net practice facility and for pitch renovation and specialist grounds maintenance equipment;

* Tynemouth Cricket Club, £22,020 to refurbish synthetic practice surface;

* Washington Cricket Club, £39,798 for pitch renovation and a net facility;

* Eastfield Avenue Recreation Ground, Newcastle, £321,375 to modernise pavillion and upgrade changing and pitch facilities;

* Hetton Hawks Cycling Club, Sunderland, £112,000 for cyclo-cross obstacles, BMX track and closed road cycling circuit;

* Ryton Football Club, Durham, £90,737 for an all-weather synthetic turf surface;

* Acklam RUFC, Middlesbrough, £29,717 to renovate pitch and for perimeter security fencing;

* Alnwick RFC, £32,330 for pitch improvements and maintenance;

* Billingham RUFC, £41,602, for eight new floodlights;

* Houghton RUFC and Sunderland CC, £53,306 for full pitch match lights.

Judith Rasmussen, regional director for Sport England in the North-East, said: "This programme is an innovative way of helping to ensure that community clubs - the heart of grassroots sports development in the North-East - receive the capital investment they need.

"This is central to achieving our vision of England becoming the most active and successful sporting nation in the world."