The Friends of Philips Park Cemetery group has successfully secured a grant of almost £50,000 from the Lottery to improve community facilities at the cemetery.

The money - granted through Community Spaces, which is managed on behalf of the Big Lottery Fund by Groundwork UK - will help the group and Manchester City Council carry out much needed improvement projects at the Grade II listed site. The work will include: creating new garden areas, a wild life and heritage trail and an educational pack for schools.

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Work on Philips Park Cemetery has already started and is planned to take three months. The improvements are part of a wider Council plan to improve facilities at all cemeteries across the city.

Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: "This grant from the Lottery Fund is great news for Philips Park Cemetery and will allow some really beneficial projects. I am really impressed with the effort put in by the Friends of Philips Park Cemetery to maintain and improve the site. They are a real asset to the area."

(CD/KMcA)