HERITAGE Lottery funding of £181,000 has been secured by the trustees of Earby's Museum of Yorkshire Dales Lead Mining to complete the second phase of its refurbishment.

The museum, which is housed in the historic Old Grammar School, on School Lane, is halfway through a complete transformation.

The grant will pay for phase two of the restoration, which will focus on the inside of the building, including putting back the original first floor.

The work will include new stairs, full disabled access via a lift, plus new wiring, heating, insulation, toilet facilities, storage and office space.

The plans also include a new upstairs lecture theatre where visiting groups can learn about the history of lead mining in the Dales.

The cost of phase two has been estimated at £201,247, including all materials, labour and professional fees.

The £181,000 Heritage Lottery grant still leaves the museum trustees to find more than £20,000, but they hope that if all goes to plan the work will start early in 2004 and take around five months to complete.

A spokesman for the trustees told the Herald: "The Trustees are very grateful to all who have assisted in whatever way in the past and hope that this will continue to assist in the raising of match-funding needs in the future."

Phase one of the project has already been carried out and saw the fabric of the grade two listed building restored and made sound.

That work alone cost in the region of £140,000, with more than £80,000 coming in a grant from English Heritage. More funds came from Pendle Council, Earby Parish Council, the Duchy of Lancaster, the Pilgrim Trust and a whole host of other contributors.

Since the shell of the building was made good the trustees have been using it to help raise cash for the remaining restoration work.

Relying on voluntary help and a steady flow of donated items they have been running "trash and treasure" sales which are held each Saturday and Sunday at the museum from 10am to 4pm and are attracting a growing number of bargain hunters.

Commenting on the lottery grant and phase two of the restoration, the trustees said: "The Old Grammar School will then be nearer to how it was over 150 years ago with the hope that more people than ever will be attracted to the historic building and to the unique collection of authentic artefacts of the lead mining industry it will contain."

Anyone with items to donate for the trash and treasure sales can go along to the museum on a Saturday or Sunday from 10am to 4pm or telephone museum trustee Morris Horsfield on 01282 841887.