Southport, Great Yarmouth, Bridlington and Hastings are the latest towns to receive grants from the scheme which aims to boost regeneration in coastal areas through investment in culture and heritage.

This wave of Sea Change grants was announced today by Culture and Tourism Minister Barbara Follett. The grants will fund projects to improve theatres, create new performance spaces and safeguard heritage within the seaside towns.

The programme, led by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), will give a total of £45m over three years to coastal resorts. Blackpool, Torbay and Dover were the first towns to receive large grants last year.