LYME Regis Museum has received almost £800,000 of Lottery funding to go towards the Mary Anning Wing project.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded the museum £798,000 towards the project which, if approved by planner, will provide a new fossil gallery and learning space, as well as a larger shop and the lift and visitor toilets that the museum currently lacks.

David Tucker, director of Lyme Regis Museum said: “This is a £1.3m project and we now have £1.1m promised to us.

“This grant is the major part of that and getting this money from the Heritage Lottery Fund is the key grant that will make all the difference.

“We do still have to raise £200,000. We have other funding applications being considered by different bodies and we are still doing lots of fundraising events to try and raise the money ourselves.

“It is really important because it guarantees the future of the museum,” he added.

“We want to play a major role in supporting Lyme’s schools and community groups and the Mary Anning Wing will allow us to do just that. People, irrespective of disability will be able to access our first floor and we’ll no longer have to send visitors across a busy road to the nearest public toilet”.

The Mary Anning Wing, a modern extension to the museum’s building, will enable the museum to extend its free education service for local schools, work more closely with local community groups and make Lyme’s history more accessible.

It will also help the museum to host more events and work with organisations such as universities.

Trustees at Lyme Regis Museum have submitted plans to West Dorset District Council, and are hopeful a decision will be determined this month.