Up to 36 communities in North Norfolk will benefit from a �577,701 grant aimed at boosting sporting excellence in the county's villages.Norfolk was one of only 10 successful bidders out of 500 seeking a share of a �10m pot made available on the back of Sport England's new strategy for developing sport, building on the momentum of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Up to 36 communities in North Norfolk will benefit from a �577,701 grant aimed at boosting sporting excellence in the county's villages.

Norfolk was one of only 10 successful bidders out of 500 seeking a share of a �10m pot made available on the back of Sport England's new strategy for developing sport, building on the momentum of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The cash will be used to provide new or expanded sporting opportunities in more than 100 villages over the next three years, with between 10 and 12 of them in North Norfolk each year.

The locations, and the final amount of funding for North Norfolk, are yet to be decided, but year-round activities will include annual district competitions and culminate in Olympic-style county finals.

Three rural sports development officers will be appointed in Norfolk - one of them to be based at North Norfolk District Council's Cromer office - and the programme will begin locally from April.

The council's leisure and cultural services manager Karl Read said: 'This is fantastic news for North Norfolk. It will help those isolated communities across the District get access to sport. It will enable people of all ages to participate in sport who currently may not have that opportunity - and who knows, we may even find the next Kelly Holmes through this project!'