A GOVERNMENT lifeline is being thrown to the North's rural communities.

A White Paper sets out a package of measures and aims including £15m to be spread out nationally over three years to support and help to re-establish vital village services such as post offices, village shops, pubs and garages.

A similar sum is being made available to support local transport schemes.

Nationally £1.6bn will be invested in the countryside by 2006, on vocational training to improve farming methods and businesses while promoting environmentally sensitive practices.

There will also be a £152m pot for a Rural Enterprise Scheme to help farmers diversify, while the Housing Corporation rural programme is to double to provide 3,000 homes a year nationally.

Giving the White Paper a regional launch at Saltburn, Tourism Minister Janet Anderson said: "We want everyone to have the basic services they need such as shops, health and education, close at hand.

"We want people to be able to live in the communities where they grew up."

Saltburn was the regional launch pad because it has been the multi-million pound focus of Rural Challenge funding over the past few years.

Coun Dave Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said: "The new rural programme for action will mean more backing and resources so that rural communities can regain their self confidence and self esteem, and to allow for a rural renaissance in cultural creativity, employment, education and training.