A Blackpool music school is celebrating after being awarded thousands of pounds of lottery funding.

Blackpool Music Academy (BMA) can now look forward to a healthy future thanks to a £4,452 National Lottery 'awards for all' grant.

This is the second major grant the academy has been given in the past couple of months. In December it was awarded £5,000 awarded from Blackpool's community chest and the money will help pay for musical equipment and tutors

An extra class is also being planned so more locals can learn keyboards for a low, or no, fee.

John Shaw, founder of BMA -- which is run on a not for profit basis -- said: "When we got to know about the community chest funding, tears came to my eyes. It was such a real relief to know we could go ahead.

"When we got the lottery funding, man I was on the ceiling! It's absolutely fantastic."

Keyboard classes began this month at Springfield Methodist Church, Bispham Road, Blackpool, and John is hoping to get guitar lessons off the ground too.

He's looking for a professional tutor and students of any age. Fees for the two hour lessons will be subsidised.

"I'm hoping to get something together before the school holidays. We can do a pilot scheme with around 10 to 12 people for a few weeks to see how it goes," he added.

He also asked Citizen readers to donate any unwanted keyboards, musical equipment or sheet music, either for students to use, or to help raise funds fto cover running costs at the academy.

To find out more, log on to www.blackpoolmusicacademy.co.uk, or phone John on 01253 318995.