TWO towns received a double boost today -- they can start spending, and they decide how to improve their own fortunes.

Bacup and Stacksteads were told they can now spend £5million regeneration cash and have been picked to pilot a healthcheck scheme aimed at rejuvenating market towns.

A delay in funding by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions meant that although Bacup and Stacksteads Community Partnership secured funding in August, no money was received.

Now a formal funding letter has been received and the six-year project of investment can start.

Chairman of the Bacup and Stacksteads Community Partnership Derek Allen said: "This is excellent news. We have been waiting for this for a long time. Now the people of Bacup and Stacksteads will be able to see action at last, after a lot of work behind the scenes."

Sally Collins, managing director of the Rossendale Partnership responsible for the delivery of the Bacup and Stacksteads regeneration programme, said: "Because of the delay in the release of funding, we are well ahead of targets and the programme should get off the ground quickly.

"There has been tremendous backing for the programme from all sectors of the community involved, including private, community, public and voluntary."

The three main aims of the scheme are to improve the quality of life, tackle social exclusion and build sustainablity.

Bacup and Stacksteads have also been chosen to pilot the new Market Towns Healthcheck scheme as part of a national drive to rejuvenate market towns as hubs for their local rural economies.

Local people will get the chance to have their say about what is wrong with their town and how they would like to see it improved.

This will be done through a series of community questionnaires looking at issues such as shopping and transport.

And it is hoped that the action plan developed from their answers will help them apply for funding from various agencies to transform the fortunes of their town.

In the past police, councillors and welfare organisations have identified problems in the town ranging from lack of facilities for young people, to poor health, poverty and unemployment.

Janet Anderson MP for Rossendale and Darwen said: "This is great news because Bacup and Stacksteads have been neglected for far too long. As a result of this hopefully we can find a strategy to make the town as important as it once was.

"I have always been committed to Bacup which is why I have my constituency office there."

Jennifer Wilson the Northwest Development Agency's rural development manager said: "The market towns programme aims to address the decline of many market towns which has come about through pressure from centralisation of services, competition from out of town complexes, the loss of traditional sources of employment and lack of past investment."

Coun John Holt, leader of Rossendale council, said: "For too long Bacup and Stacksteads have been declining in prosperity as a result of outside pressure and the decline of traditional industry.

"There are however positive opportunities in the surrounding attractive environment and the strong community spirit.

"I am certain that the townspeople will welcome this initiative and respond to it in a very positive way.

"On behalf of the community I look forward to a positive early action plan for the long-term improvement of the towns."