£20m grants designed to boost struggling towns

The money could be used to fix up empty buildings or support struggling high streets

Fleetwood and Morecambe have each been awarded £20m of government funding, with residents invited to say how they think the money should best be spent.

For the next decade, the two Lancashire towns will receive £2m every year under the Pride in Place programme.

Lizzi Collinge, the Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said it is "for local people to decide how this money is used in their community" as they "know their area better than anyone else".

Meanwhile Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged new measures to give communities more power to "seize boarded shops" and "block gambling and vape shops on their High Street".

'Rebuild our town'

Collinge said investment decisions would be led by an independent chair, allocating funding after consultation with community groups, local organisations and social clubs.

Ideas could range from upgrading parks and play areas, to health projects, fixing up empty buildings, supporting the high street, or creating new community spaces.

In Morecambe it will be spent in the West End area, and in Fleetwood the cash will be spent in the town's Pharos and Mount Wards.

Fleetwood's Labour MP Lorraine Beavers said: "I know how hard so many people are working to rebuild our town, and this money is our chance to show what we can do."