GIRVAN Youth Trust are one step closer to securing wheelchair access onto the beach thanks to the support of the local community.

The group have been successful in making it through to the next stage of the Aviva Community Fund as they were one of the top 12 projects out of 814.

Speaking about their achievement, Project Co-ordinator, Chic Martindale, said: "We are really please to have made the final. When we found out we were all chuffed.

"The final is in December but it will be a panel of judges who decide who deserves the funding."

The 'Family Sandcastles' project, to create disabled access, came about after a 15-year-old, confined to a wheelchair couldn't play with her friends in the sea.

This problem seems to be continually highlighted as a major issue and barrier for wheelchair bound members of both, the local community and visiting tourists and families.

If successful the 'Family Sandcastles' project will be re-dressing this issue once and for all.