A TINY village school has been given a lottery boost to help fund the use of a playing field.

Long-awaited plans to develop a new playing field at Cheselbourne Village School have moved a step closer to reality after it was awarded £23,700 in the latest round of Big Lottery funding allocations.

The money will be used to fund the last stage of a re-development which has already seen the concrete playground re-surfaced and provided new sports equipment for the children.

Until recently pupils have had to walk half a mile to another field to play sports and games.

However, this summer the children have been using a privately-owned field across the road from the school and have enjoyed it so much they want to make the move permanent.

The money will help to improve toilet and fencing facilities at the site.

Headteacher Ann Herridge said: "The children have been using the field over the summer and have enjoyed the extra space to play and run around in.

"We've done so much at the school in the last few years and this money will be the icing on the cake.

"With this money we can now see the project is moving along and we can look forward to a brighter future for the children - hopefully by the beginning of next year."

The school, which has 36 pupils aged from four to nine, will also use some of the cash to complete the playground resurfacing by painting new markings and to buy new sports equipment.