CLIFTON Cricket Club have received a lottery grant for a £120,000 project to improve facilities at the club.

The award comes after several years of planning and will involve a major drainage scheme, installing specialist coaching lanes and doubling the size of the dressing rooms to incorporate changing and showering facilities for disabled cricketers and provision for umpires.

Delighted club secretary Steve Eccles said: "It's been hard work but it's all been worthwhile.

The advice and help given by Sport England has been great and despite the bad press as a result of the 'Dome'.

I can assure anyone that every penny of lottery money for sport has to be earned!"

The club also owe a lot to local supporters such as Van Den Berg foods, Accol Chemicals, Pilkington Tiles and Thwaites brewery who have contributed to the partnership funding.

A further grant of £11000 from The Foundation for Sport & The Arts has ensured that the project can get underway and work can start almost immediately.

Club chairman Philip Royle said: "Coming as it does, just after a big refurbishment job in the clubhouse, when the work is finished, our facilities will be the envy of most clubs in the area.

"I'd like to personally thank the many people who have worked very hard to make this happen."

Work is expected to be completed in time for the start of the new season in April 2001.