JUBILANT supporters of the Wharf in Tavistock are celebrating a £23,000 lottery grant win in unusual style — with a 40-mile hike across Dartmoor.

Margaret Hurdwell, managing director of The Wharf, and the three other directors will be collecting the cheque from South West Arts in Exeter tomorrow (Friday). One director — Peter Hurdwell — will then join a team of walkers who will make their way back to Tavistock — aiming to arrive in the town late the following day.

The grant — from the Regional Arts Lottery Programme through South West Arts — together with a donation of £1,500 from the Friends of the Wharf, £400 from West Devon Borough Council and £2,000 by CAM (The Wharf) Ltd, will buy a completely new sound system.

Margaret Hurdwell said she was 'thrilled' with the grant and thanked all who had supported their application.

'This is a great boost for The Wharf. It is an unique community facility and Tavistock should be proud of the efforts made by such a passionate group of volunteers,' she said.

Mrs Hurdwell said they hoped to raise a further £2,000 in sponsorship from the walk to add to the grant.

The new sound system will cost around £29,000. 'For the last six years the PA system has been propped up by the volunteer technical team to enable us to put on any sort of event,' Mrs Hurdwell said. 'We will now have a PA system as good as any in the South West.'

The system has already been installed and the first event to be able to hear it will be held shortly.

The Wharf is planning a party for the walkers when they arrive back in Tavistock and the mayor of West Devon, Cllr Robin Pike, and Mr Gerry Woodcock, representing the mayor of Tavistock, will join the hikers for the final mile into town.

Cllr Pike said West Devon Borough Council had been delighted to help The Wharf with its grant application. 'The Wharf is an important resource in the town. It's great to have a local theatre facility in the Tavistock area,' he said.

Tavistock town mayor, Cllr Norma Woodcock, said she was 'delighted for The Wharf and for Tavistock' at the news of the lottery grant.

'The Wharf makes such a valuable contribution to the life of the town and is so well-supported by the Friends. It's absolutely splendid!'