BUCKLAND Monachorum, Yelverton and Throwleigh will soon have their own websites following a grant from National Lottery Awards for All.

Buckland and Yelverton will be working together on their community site, which will be one of seven produced as a result of the grant of £4,410 to Dartmoor Communities Online, adding to the £1,000 confirmed last year by the Devon Rural Development Programme and £200 from the National Park Authority.

Clerk to Throwleigh Parish Council Peter Flick said that their reaction was 'very favourable'.

'The council has not finally decided on the full contents of our site, but it will include tourist information and act as a notice board for local events,' Mr Flick said.

Dartmoor Communities Online was formed after Moretonhampstead Development Trust manager, Steve Melia, noted that 'cybersquatters' had registered domain names of villages across the area — eg yelverton.com —and were looking to develop them for private profit. The trust registered the alternative 'org.uk' names for several villages and following a meeting of parish councils and community groups the Online Group was convened.

The development trust and local company ShockShock Graphics will design the websites and a 'lead organisation' — usually the parish council — in each village will control its site. The content will vary according to local need, but may include events, history, organisations and local business adverts.

The sites will be linked to and from the Dartmoor National Park Authority's site — http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk">www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk — and it is hoped that other parishes may wish to join the group if further funding can be found.