A RURAL community crippled by the foot-and-mouth crisis has been given some cheer after receiving more than £100,000 to launch an information technology scheme.

Hundreds of people in Teesdale will benefit from National Lottery funding which will see the latest technology and computer equipment installed in eight village halls in the dale.

The money has come from the New Opportunities Fund, and follows an application from the Teesdale Village Halls Consortium for help in launching the ambitious scheme to provide learning opportunities for up to 500 people.

The award will be spent on computer equipment across a 200 square mile area in Teesdale, giving people the chance to get linked up to the Internet.

David Hutchinson, chairman of the Teesdale Village Halls Consortium, said the news could not have come at a more vital time.

"Our award from the New Opportunities Fund is a little ray of sunshine at a time of real despondency in our community because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease," he said.

"We are delighted that we will now be able to push ahead with our plans to introduce information technology to this rural Pennine dales area.

"We will be bringing opportunities to farmers and others in Teesdale to benefit from the advantages of ICT.

"It will tackle rural isolation, and the award from the fund means we have something good to look forward to at this dismal time for people in rural County Durham," he said.

The Teesdale award is one of 40 grants given to projects around the country, and the £124,500 grant is part of a £4m package from the New Opportunities Fund.

Since 1999, the fund has awarded £300m to information technology projects around the country.

Last month, Newbiggin and District Village Hall was awarded nearly £50,000 by the New Opportunities Fund, to promote a healthy living scheme for local residents.

Stephen Dunmore, chief executive of the New Opportunities Fund, said: "Technology on the doorstep will bring real opportunities to local people and open doors to new horizons and give everyone a better chance to improve their lives."

Read more about Foot-and-Mouth here.