County Durham has some of the UK's most beautiful coastline

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded more than �33,000 to Durham Heritage Coast for regeneration work to increase community involvement and responsibility for the coastline.

Starting in March and running for 12 months, the projects include a schools and community programme, countryside training for staff and volunteers, education packs, newsletter and permanent displays.

The award will be matched by funding from the Countryside Agency, Environment Agency and Easington District Council.

Sarah Curran, heritage coast partnership officer with Durham County Council, said: "We are in the process of developing a series of events called Sea Carnival with the Education Action Zone and English Nature, which are designed to draw local people into the management and investigation of their environment.

Coastal heritage

"We have also developed a website that will go live in March as part of the education and community programme that the lottery funding will kick off, and from April, a new education officer will spearhead this work.

"The area suffers from anti-social use and low input by the local community into its management.

"The partnership is delighted to be awarded this grant.

"Developing sustainability on the coast can only be done with community input and support.

"These projects will help local communities take an interest in, and responsibility for, their coastal heritage as well as an increasingly active role in its conservation and management."

The school and community programme includes a whale and dolphin road show that brings life-size models to schools for children to find out about the creatures and their habitat.

It will also include an adopt-a-beach programme, which will encourage regular monitoring of Durham beaches.