MARSH residents are celebrating after receiving an extra Christmas present - a £35,000 grant for their new community centre.

Work has started on the estate's new community centre on Willow Lane, but the Trust behind the project called for extra cash to make sure the building has a good quality roof and windows plus top class fixtures and fittings.

Now the money has come from Lancashire County Council following the sale of the former junior school premises.

And county council chairman Cllr Niki Penney says she is 'delighted' that the authority has been able to put something back into the community.

"The County Council fully supports this project and I am really pleased we can make this contribution," she told Citizen.

"It is important, however, for the centre to be a success so the people of Lancaster must give generously too.

The cash will allow safety features inclu-ding water sprinklers to be installed.

"We have also agreed to let the trustees use the site where the centre will stand free of charge in order to give extra support."

County Cllr Jonathan Sear, chair of the community centre, says: "I am delighted that the county has agreed to my request for this grant.

It is a brilliant Christmas present for the Marsh.

"Now we have enough money for the building we can focus all our efforts on raising the funds for equipment and acti-vities that will take place in the centre."