A village residents committee is celebrating after securing a huge cash injection for a heritage trail.

The Stanhill Village Residents and Fete Committee have received more than £32,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The committee, led by volunteers from the local community will be using the funds for a project focussing on the birthplace of James Hargreaves, who invented the spinning jenny, a key developments in the industrialization of weaving in the village in 1764.

The project will be funded for two years until 2017 and will create a permanent two and a half mile physical heritage trail in and around the village, which has buildings and sites of historical interest and a collection of weaver’s cottages.

Project Co-ordinator Richard Hooper said: “Stanhill Village is a very significant place in the creation of Lancashire’s prosperity through the development of the Spinning Jenny.

“However, that isn’t all the project is about.

“We are interested in showing how the village has developed since Hargreave’s time and how people have lived, worked, played and worshipped over the past 250 years.”

Richard said a key part of the mission was to enthuse local people and make them aware and curious about their heritage.

He said: “There are a range of interesting projects that we plan including helping people research their family history, record the experiences of older residents who have grown up here and to encourage people to look more closely in their lofts and drawers to see what heirlooms and objects from the past can help on the way we lived.

“We also intend to build a working model of the Spinning Jenny from the original patent drawings and hold demonstrations and talks based around it.

“The area is also very popular with walkers and cyclists and we hope that this project will add a further attraction for them.”

In addition an interactive website will be created to provide a source of information and learning for people from all over the world who wish to find out more about the village’s history.

The intention is to involve local residents, school children and students in researching their local community history.

Susan Wilkin, the chairman of the Stanhill Village committee said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery.”