Delight over £700,000 aid

Tenbury Wells has received an early Christmas present after nearly £700,000 was awarded to secure the future of the town's crumbling grade II listed cinema.

The grant of £681,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund will help pay for repairs to the roof of the Regal Cinema and a two-year programme of activities to cement its status as a hub for community events.

The grant, which will meet 90 per cent of the project costs, has been greeted with joy by Tenbury Town Council and local cinema enthusiasts, who have fought for months to find cash to pay for the work.

Elizabeth Weston, Mayor of Tenbury Wells, said: "News of the award has been greeted with absolute delight by councillors and townsfolk. It is a wonderful Christmas gift for Tenbury Wells to know that part of its heritage will be preserved for future generations."