Barrasford is seeing a speedy rollout of full-fibre broadband thanks to fresh funding.

Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) is advancing the instalment in the rural village, courtesy of a £66,000 grant from the Ray Wind Funds CIC Community Benefit Fund.

This fund was set up by European energy firm Vattenfall.

It is committed to donating to rural communities under its catchment area.

Since 2018, the fund has given out more than £250,000 annually and is set to remain in place until at least 2043.

The grant plays a critical role in linking rural premises in Barrasford and neighbouring villages, soon to offer Gigabit broadband to all properties in the Chollerton and Birtley parishes.

Contractors have been operating since last year, having laid more than 31km of fibre duct across an area stretching from Chollerton in the East, through Barrasford, to Birtley Shields in the West.

Work is on track to extend into Gunnerton, Barrasford Park, Carrycoats, Great Swinburn, Colwell, and Hallington.

B4RN's CEO, Michael Lee, and COO Tom Rigg, were recently welcomed to Parliament by MP for the area, Guy Opperman, to discuss plans.

CEO Michael Lee said: "We’re building at pace in the Barrasford area, and it’s great to see new people going live every day on our 1,000mbps full fibre service.

"B4RN projects are only possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of the rural communities we serve, and the support of BDUK through Project Gigabit and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.”

Guy Opperman MP said: "I am determined that everyone, no matter now rural they live, or however hard to reach, has access to ultra fast gigabit broadband.

"My thanks go to the team at B4RN for working at pace with community teams on the ground to rollout this particular project to Barrasford and the surrounding villages.

"I know that residents elsewhere are eagerly awaiting good news on broadband, whether in Corbridge, Ponteland, or the villages in-between.

"For my part, I am meeting regularly with Ministers in Westminster, as well as officials with BDUK and B4RN to encourage faster progress across the whole of Northumberland."