PROJECTS bosses are celebrating after a scheme to convert a double-decker bus into a soft play and sensory experience for Bradford children with special needs won a £48,950 Big Lottery grant.

Chellow Activity Bus, run by Chellow Heights Special School, grabbed the most number of public votes on Wednesday night as part of The People’s Millions screened on ITV Yorkshire North.

The funding means the unique project can not only make a difference to young lives but also be a venue for carers and parents to meet. It will travel out to the wider community so youngsters with special needs can play not just at school but also where they live.

The school's fundraising co-ordinator Vicki Street is hoping the bus will be ready for the road in time for summer so they can put on holiday activities.

"The idea is the bus will go between our two school sites in Heaton and Low Moor and go out into the community. We hope to run a holiday club from it as well. Holidays can be quite a time of isolation for some families because playcentres are so noisy and busy that they have difficulty accessing them."

This is the ninth year the Big Lottery Fund and ITV have given the public the chance to choose where the Lottery good cause cash goes in their region. The People’s Millions public vote determines which deserving cause will win the contest and take the funding back to their community.

All this week, two projects have gone head-to-head each night on ITV evening news pitching for a life changing grant. There are four awards of up to £50,000 for grabs in the region – one award for each night, a bonus award will be announced tonight for the runner up with the most phone votes across the week.

Mrs Street added: "We are so thankful for all the support we had from the school, staff, friends, families, communities and other schools - every one of their votes counted so a big thank you from all of us."

Dawn Austwick, Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive, said: “People’s Millions is a great way for local people to get behind hard working projects doing great things for their local communities.

"This is a brilliant result for the people of Bradford and shows that local lives really can be changed by you. There are some excellent projects still to be showcased, so tune in to ITV Yorkshire North, pick up the phone and vote for your favourite project.”