HUDDERSFIELD is to get 46 more nursery care places - thanks to lottery cash.

The National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund has given Huddersfield Central Primary Care Trust £124,476 to invest in nursery education in Deighton and Fartown.

Huddersfield's director of public health, Dr Sohal Bhatti, said: "We are delighted to receive this grant.

"It means that, in partnership with Kirklees Early Years Services and other local childcare providers, we can provide support for families."

Sixteen new nursery places will be created at Tiddlywinks Nursery at the Deighton Centre through refurbishment.

Another 30 places will be available when a new nursery is built in Fartown.

The nursery will be part of a new Healthy Living Centre planned for the former Christ Church Woodhouse School off Woodhouse Hill.

The centre is still in the planning stages, but is expected to serve as a one-stop shop for health, education and social services advice.

It will be a joint venture between Kirklees Council and the Huddersfield Central PCT.

Maureen Mellodew, the trust's communications manager, said local people would be involved in deciding how the money would be spent on the both nursery projects.

The money is part of £594,000 given by the New Opportunities Fund across Yorkshire for new nurseries.

The building plans are part of the Building New Nurseries programme, which has been allocated £100m from the New Opportunities Fund nationally.

The aim is to close the gap in childcare between affluent and disadvantaged areas, allowing parents to get work or training.

The programme runs alongside a Government scheme from the Department for Education and Skills, called the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative.

The scheme has made £203m available between 2001 and 2004, to create 45,000 new childcare places in disadvantaged areas.

This money is distributed through local Early Years Partnerships and Childcare Partnerships.