GRANT aid for economic development and social projects in rural Cumbria levered investment worth more than £6 million into the region in the past year.

The Cumbria Rural Development Group approved funding totalling £734,000 towards more than 120 individual projects across the county.

Grants valued at £ 81,000 were allocated to eight projects in South Lakeland, ten schemes in Eden benefited from £54,000 of support, and two Barrow projects received £ 10,000 of assistance.

South Lakeland district councillor Elizabeth Braithwaite, who chairs Rural Development Group, said there had been a full programme of activity during 1999-2000.

The group had taken "full advantage" of funding from the North West Development Agency, she said, adding: "We look forward to continued partnership working, thereby assisting the regeneration of rural Cumbria."

Coun Braithwaite said the programme aimed to assist and enable businesses and individuals to secure grant aid for business expansion and start-up enterprises.

Some 40 per cent of Cumbria's population live in areas deemed to be suffering from some degree of economic and social disadvantage - either through unemployment, declining population or services, and industries such as agriculture.

Grants for South Lakeland have helped fund regeneration work in Ulverston; supported business unit developments at Low Mill Tannery, Ulverston, and the Tollbar Workshops, Sedbergh; and backed the new Ruskin Museum, expected to attract 30,000 visitors.

The cash has also boosted access to training through the CREDITS schemes at Lindale and Shap; supported a marketing campaign to attract overseas visitors to Cumbrian gardens; and helped fund an Appleby loyalty card scheme.