TWO village halls in the New Forest will be refurbished thanks to funding from Hampshire County Council.

Nearly £20,000 of Community Buildings Capital Fund has been awarded to Hulse Hall in Breamore and £10,000 to the Bramshaw Trust in Lyndhurst.

Cllr Andrew Gibson, executive member for culture, recreation and countryside at the council, said: "In the past two years we’ve awarded 34 capital fund grants collectively worth £485,000 for community buildings throughout the county.

"Community groups often lack the financial resources for capital projects, which is why we’re delighted to support the Bramshaw Trust and Hulse Hall.

"In Breamore, for example, Hulse Hall is the only community building in the village of around 300 mostly elderly residents, which illustrates why this funding is needed for local communities.

Hulse Hall has been awarded £19,690 to replace its ill-fitting, single glazed windows with double glazing, and replace its current heating system with a more efficient air source heat pump system.

The organisation has committed £17,000 of its own funds to the project and has applied to Breamore Parish Council for a further £3,000.

Meanwhile the Bramshaw Trust has been awarded £10,000 to replace and modernise the 30 year old kitchen at Bramshaw Village Hall.