RESIDENTS in Abbots Langley will be keeping their fingers crossed throughout March when the community centre applies to the National Lottery for a grant.

A New Abbots Langley Community Centre Appeal (ANALCCA) has raised £170,000 for the project so far. On Saturday, it received a cheque for £100 from Abbots Langley Tae Kwon Do Club.

Children at the club, which meets at the community centre in Manor House Grounds, Gallows Hill Lane, had been raising money for the appeal for a year.

Every time the pupils won a trophy, the club would donate £1 to the fund. The children also contributed by holding a bring and buy sale.

A spokesman for ANALCCA, Mr Roy Bratt, said: "The appeal is going very well. Money is still coming in. We had an appeal before Christmas, which brought in more than £3,000, so it's still coming in."

The latest estimated cost for the centre is £600,000, which includes a new car park and planting.

ANALCCA has raised £170,000 so far and is hoping to secure a £300,000 grant from the National Lotteries Charity Board.

Mr Bratt said: "What we are doing right now is preparing all the costings and final planning and detail on design, which is a big job and that's what the lottery board has asked us for.

"If they say yes, we can go ahead and start preparing."

Although this will leave a £130,000 shortfall, the appeal has already lined up some activities, including a race night in April, to meet the demand.