AN outdoor short mat bowls area will be built at Holmer Green Sports Centre thanks to a recent cash boost.

A grant of £5,000 was awarded to the Watchet Lane Club in High Wycombe for the wheelchair accessible bowls area from a lottery grants group.

Roy Dobson, club treasurer, is delighted with the grant and hopes the area will be ready this summer.

He said: "It was fantastic news as we would not have been able to build the area if we didn't receive the grant.

"A wheelchair accessible area is desperately needed and not only that but it will be wonderful for people to come along and enjoy the game outside on fine summer evenings."

A total of £43,985 was handed out to groups across Buckinghamshire in the Awards for All scheme run by the National Lottery Charities Board, Sports England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council of England.

Marlow CE Infant School, in Sandygate Road, also benefited from a grant. The school was awarded £3,050 for a special arts project this summer which will see professional artist Caroline Essame joining the children for weekly workshops.

Ms Essame runs adult and children's art groups and recently held an exhibition at Wycombe Swan.

Headteacher Vanessa Hughes said: "It's a great chance for the children to work side by side with such a great artist and the money will cover all the costs for materials and other expenses."

The Chiltern Cheetahs American Football Club, based in Amersham, also benefiting from the scheme getting £4,275 for coaching courses and equipment.