THOUSANDS of pounds have been granted to clean up Barrow's high street.

The money was announced by the government as part of a £10 million plan to improve high streets across the country.

It is hoped the funding will boost businesses by attracting more residents and visitors to the town centre after improving the look of the high street.

The £11,762 will be used to buy tools such as litter pickers and brushes, as well as providing training for residents on how to remove graffiti or tackle fly-tipping.

The release of the funding coincides with High Street Saturday, a new national campaign day to celebrate the place of the high street at the heart of communities across the country.

As part of the day The Mail went to speak to shoppers on Saturday to ask why they supported the high street.

Shoppers described the high street as an important part of the community but that the shops offered could have been better.

A £675 million pot of money has also been made available by the government to be used towards modernise high streets.

Called, the Future High Streets Fund, councils across the country have been invited to bid for a share of the money.

Simon Fell, the Furness Conservative spokesman said he had spoken to people shopping a businesses in Dalton Road to encourage them to shop locally.

He has also spoken to Barrow Council and South Lakeland District Council about making good use of the fund.

Praising the town centres on High Street Saturday, he said: “Our high streets in Barrow and Furness are the heart of our local community.

"I know that times have been challenging for many town centres across England lately, and our local area is no different.

“That’s why I am delighted to be supporting High Street Saturday – I was out urging local people to shop locally and talking to businesses about the support available to them.

“This funding will ensure that we keep high streets in Barrow and Furness looking their best, making it easier to encourage more people to return to the high street.”

Community leaders in Barrow have also been putting their heads together to improve the high street.

Council leader Dave Pidduck, Business Improvement District manager Colin Garnett and MP John Woodcock have all discussed ways of bringing in more shoppers.

Mr Woodcock had said he hoped the town would receive a share of the fund and met bosses from BAE to talk about extra investment to attract shipyard workers.