Lottery grant to restore Omagh

THE NORTHERN Ireland town of Omagh, devastated by a terrorist bomb last August, is to receive pounds 900,000 of National Lottery money to help rebuild its town centre.

The money, part of the latest round of grants announced by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will be used to reconstruct Lower Market Street, where the bomb exploded, killing 29 people. Eric Anderson, chairman of the HLF and National Heritage Memorial Fund, said the award had been processed exceptionally quickly "in view of the tragedy" and promised to "look favourably" on any future application.

The HLF announced grants totalling pounds 31.8m yesterday for 66 projects around the UK. The biggest award - pounds 8m - went to the Norwich Castle Museum. Other awards included pounds 1.7m for repairs to Southport pier in Merseyside and pounds 410,000 to the Ely Stained Glass Museum.