PLANS for a £610,000 all-weather pitch on land at Bedale High School have taken a major step forward.

Hambleton councillors have approved a further grant of £30,000 which, with £30,000 already allocated, will help bring £485,000 of national lottery money into the town.

Coun Susan Latter, who speaks on leisure at the council, said: "This is another exciting project for Bedale. It will allow new activities for young people in the town to begin as well as enable the school to expand its sports programme.

"Improving community facilities, health and the quality of life is an important part of our work as a district council and this scheme will do just that."

Coun Latter said it was envisaged the new pitch would be operated as part of the town's swimming pool and one benefit would be improved public access to the high school hall.

Project leader Dave Goodwin, head of leisure and tourism at Hambleton, said: "This extra £30,000 will make the shortfall still to be raised in Bedale very small. The project also falls within the community investment prospectus for Bedale, which could lead to other funding coming in."

Work on the pitch is scheduled to start late next year.