UP TO £2.4m will be ploughed into fixing Hexham's declining high street.

A joint bid from Northumberland County Council and Hexham Town Council for funding from the national High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme, which is part of the £675m Future High Streets Fund, administered by Historic England, has been successful.

It was the only bid submitted by the county council and the money will be invested in providing support for both retail and residential units within the town.

Coun. Cath Homer, the county council's cabinet member for Culture, Leisure, Tourism and Arts, said: "This is a great result and a testimony to the hard work of county council officers, Couns Trevor Cessford and Richard Wearmouth, who sit on the Hexham Hub with me, Hexham Town Council, Hexham Community Partnership, and key partners in the town.

"A thank you also to the Conservative administration at County Hall who backed the bid and committed the match funding and resources to make this happen."

More to follow.