SPORTS facilities in East Lancashire have been given a cash boost ahead of the London Olympics this summer.

Accrington Cricket and Tennis Club and Hyndburn Council have been given a combined £200,000 of Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.

Accrington Cricket and Tennis Club’s £50,000 will enable the resurfacing of three tennis courts and floodlighting for two of the courts.

And Hyndburn Council, which has been given £150,000, will use the money to level off and drain Higham Playing Fields. creating four new pitches, two dual use pitches and three cricket squares.

David Sudall, fundraiser at Accrington Cricket and Tennis Club, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured this Inspired Facilities grant, which will enable us to upgrade the quality of our premises to match the quality of our tennis players. It is the cornerstone of our strategy to have an outstanding club from the 2012 Olympic legacy.”

Coun Ciaran Wells, cabinet member for sports facilities at Hyndburn Council, said: “We are delighted to secure this Inspired Facilities grant, which will enable us to upgrade the quality of our pitches for local people.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “This investment by Sport England is fantastic news. These improvements will be a huge boost, both for the club members and the wider community.”

The cash is from the £135million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.

Sport England chairman Richard Lewis said: “This investment will create a fantastic sporting legacy for Accrington and Hyndburn.

“This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs in the North West. It shows we’re offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sports facilities got better.”