A LOTTERY cash windfall of £147,500 has been earmarked for Chorley's Yarrow Valley Park in time for the new Millennium.

The Heritage Award looks set to bring big changes to the country park which is to be extended by 179 hectares offering greater access to riverside walks and other stretches of open water.

Also, a Visitor Centre will be built at the site housing photographic archives of local history and people as well as a series of maps covering the changes that have been made to the town.

Mary Wilson, chair of Chorley's community services committee, celebrated the good news by saying: "We are absolutely delighted with this award. Yarrow Valley Park is a very valuable resource and thanks to this lottery fund award we can now make it better than ever for thousands of visitors who come to the area every year."

"We are particularly excited about the Visitor Centre which will allow us to develop the educational side of the park opening it up to local schools who can use it in conjunction with the National Curriculum."

Lindsay Hoyle MP was delighted to hear that the park had secured the grant.

He said: "Congratulations to all those involved in the application procedure. Their hard work and tireless efforts have been rewarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and I look forward to seeing the result of what they are going to spend their money on."

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