More than £120,000 of funding has been allocated to Cumbrian projects working to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.

Aspatria Dreamscheme and Carlisle Mencap received a total of £128,605 from BBC Children in Need.

It brings the charity's total investment in Cumbria to £1.9m across 32 projects.

Aspatria Dreamscheme was granted £107,899 the most it has ever received.

The money will be used to employ a youth and community worker to deliver inclusive sessions in life skills, music, arts and crafts.

Manager Linda Hunter told the News and Star: "It's absolutely brilliant. They've supported us for the past six years but it's usually been through the small grants which has covered trips and activities.

"It's getting a lot harder these days to find funding specifically for core costs, like salaries, so the fact that Children in Need are carrying on supporting us but in a more significant way is an absolutely god sent.

"We're absolutely over the moon. It's going to secure the work we do for another three years at least.

"It's going to give us that much needed time and space to focus on the real work which is developing the project for you people as opposed to spending loads of time chasing funding pots all the time. It means a lot."

The sessions enable the young people to improve their skills in organisation and communication, develop aspirations for their future and build positive relationships with young people and adults around them.

Meanwhile Carlisle Mencap was awarded £20,706 to provide weekend breaks to children and young people who have physical and learning disabilities in Carlisle.

The charity has been supported by Children in Need for 17 years. This new funding will enable the project to give the young people experiences and opportunities that they may not normally be able to access, helping to improve their confidence and build their self-esteem.

Sheila Gregory of Carlisle Mencap said: “We’ve been supported by BBC Children in Need for some years now, but it still comes as an absolute delight to hear that this support will continue. The work that we do at Carlisle Mencap is so valuable to the young people that we work with so we couldn’t be happier to hear this great news.”

In 2015 BBC Children in Need celebrated its highest ever fundraising total when £55m was raised during the appeal.

In the past 12 months BBC Children in Need has been able to make a positive difference to 480,000 young lives in the UK.

Projects working with children and young people facing any kind of disadvantage can find out more on how to apply for funding at bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants.

The next deadline for the Small Grants programme is 1st September and the deadline for the Main Grants programme is 15th September.