YOUNG children living on the breadline in East Lancashire may benefit from an £8.4million grant to give them a better start in life.

Lancashire County Council has been invited to bid for money from the government's Sure Start strategy to tackle child poverty in Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Preston.

The scheme will attempt to make children healthier and more ready to learn. It will attempt to make families and communities stronger and hopes to reduce crime and teenage pregnancies.

Blackburn with Darwen Council was one of the few authorities in the country chosen to pioneer the scheme, which is centred on the Sudell area of Darwen.

Now, Lancashire County has been invited to bid for cash from the next phase of Sure Start scheduled to begin in the summer of 2000.

Education chairman Coun Hazel Harding said: "I am delighted by this announcement which will make a huge difference to the lives of children and families in parts of the county where the need is greatest. "The four projects will support parents from the moment children are born until they successfully begin school.

"Sure Start programmes will be led by a partnership of local organisations, including parents, community groups and voluntary agencies, district councils, health services and the county council, who by working together will help children in these four areas get the best possible start in life.

"The aim of Sure Start is to work with parents and children to promote their physical, intellectual, social and emotional well being to ensure they are ready to thrive when they get to school.

"The project will provide funds to co-ordinate, re-shape and fill any gaps in service the county has discovered following extensive consultation with parents."

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