Leicester railway station and Twycross Zoo see funding success

Twycross's snow leopards are just one of a number of endangered species being cared for

Two major projects in Leicestershire are celebrating securing millions in government funding.

Twycross Zoo will get £19m for a new science and conservation centre to help protect animals from extinction and train future conservationists.

Leicester railway station has secured £17.6m towards a £22m scheme to remodel the main entrance and increase the size of the booking hall.

It is hoped both projects will create jobs and boost the economy.

The money is part of the £4.8bn levelling up fund, designed to boost areas that may have missed out in the past.

However, critics of the fund have questioned whether pots of money for local projects around the UK will transform the economy without a country-wide strategy.

The Twycross Zoo centre will allow researchers to study its four great apes and 100 endangered species, and aims to support conservationists and scientists to tackle the country's environmental and ecological challenges.

An artist's impression of the new science and conservation centre at Twycross Zoo

Chief executive Dr Sharon Redrobe said the centre would put the zoo and region "at the heart of science and conservation, and to fight the global extinction crisis".

"The need to address these issues has never been more urgent, and with this new centre, we will be able to establish a national focus on protecting animals from extinction and create the conservationists of the future," she said.

A covered food, drink and retail plaza is a major part of the railway station plans

Leicester's railway station will see the Victorian facade restored, a new glazed entrance hall and a covered plaza for retail, food and drinks.

Mark Lambert, from East Midlands Railway, said: "This is fantastic news for the people of the city and our customers that use Leicester station.

"We are looking forward to working closely with the council to help turn these exciting plans into a reality."