Image: Funding will create a new home for badminton

Ageing sports facilities in the North East of England are set to receive a £1.3m funding boost thanks to a National Lottery award.

A total of 30 facilities will share the funding, sourced from Sport England's Inspired Facilities Fund - part of the Places People Play legacy programme.

The investments announced today will breathe new life into some of the region's most tired facilities that have become unattractive to sports participants and difficult to maintain and run. Grants have also been offered to convert existing buildings into venues that are more suitable for grassroots sport and to allow local clubs to buy the facilities they use.

The funding includes a £131,545 grant towards the Sport in the Park project which will help provide new facilities for tennis, skating and BMX biking as well as football.

A total of £50,000 has also been earmarked to build a sustainable home for badminton in the North East.

In addition to the £1.39m announced today, sports playing fields and facilities in the North East had already received £2.85m through Sport England's Places People Play legacy programme.

In addition, 5,293 young people in the North East have got into sport through Sportivate, 751 people from the region have been inspired by the Olympics and Paralympics to become a Sport Maker and more than 5,000 have signed up to do a sporting challenge for charity through Gold Challenge.