TOWNELEY Hall museum and St Andrew's Church will benefit from Heritage Lottery Fund awards worth nearly £100,000, it was announced today.

Valuable art works, plans, coins, medals and ceramics not normally on display at Towneley will find a new easy-access home at the hall, thanks to a £50,000 grant.

The present storage area will be swallowed up when a major extension -- backed by a £1.5million lottery grant -- gets under way later this year.

The new award will allow the reserve collection to be transferred to a refurbished area which is now the museum's general office.

"It will allow greater access for staff, students and other people with an interest in gaining access to the collection," said Towneley spokesman Jackie Simms.

The cash will also be used to buy a digital camera and computer to allow the museum to post the reserve collections on its website.

Burnley's St Andrew's Church , Colne Road, is also celebrating a £45,000 grant from he Heritage Lottery Fund -- the money will be used to repair the old school community rooms, improve access, kitchen facilities and security.