MILLIONS of pounds of European funding could soon be flooding the Fylde Coast.

Twelve of Blackpool's 22 wards have been included in the government's proposals for European Objective 2 status, along with 13 of Wyre Borough Council's wards.

And if the European Commission grant them status, possibly within a month, the districts will be able to bid for cash from a £350 million pot of money between 2000-2006.

During a visit to Brussels earlier this year, council leader Ivan Taylor and chief executive Graham Essex-Crosby used the town's Regeneration Strategy to argue the case that Blackpool has realistic plans to make best use of EU cash.

The Blackpool wards who may benefit are Alexandra, Anchorsholme, Brunswick, Claremont, Foxhall, Layton, Norbreck, Park, Talbot, Tyldesley, Victoria and Waterloo.

Wyre projects in the Bailey, Calder, Carleton, Cleveleys Park, Hambleton, Jubilee, Mount, Park, Pharos, Preesall, Rossall, Staina and Warren wards may also profit. Coun Taylor said the opportunity to bid for EU cash on this scale would help pave the way for more projects to boost the regeneration of Blackpool well into the millennium.

"Looking ahead this is great news for the town as we can now start to target even more areas that are hit by high unemployment," he said.

"Residents can now count on help from ourselves, the government and Europe in providing skills and training for the jobless, boosting employment prospects and working to improve living conditions.

"To get half of our wards in with a chance of getting a financial boost is superb news.

"Blackpool has never been to this stage before, so the difficult first leap has been a successful one."

Wyre MP Hilton Dawson was pleased the region has reached this stage. He said: "This is splendid news and I'd particularly like to see some major investment in transport.

"This includes the re-opening of the railway line from Poulton to Thornton and Fleetwood."

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