RURAL businesses are being encouraged to apply for a share of £3.6m in Lancashire.

Lancashire County Council has announced the funding through its LEADER programme for 2015-2020.

Funding can be used for a range of uses - such as buying equipment and refurbishing buildings - if the project meets the criteria for job creation or growth.

LEADER funding comes from the Rural Development Programme for England, which is administered by Defra and the Rural Payments Agency.

County Council leader Jennifer Mein said: "We're urging businesses to apply for this funding that will help them to create new jobs and growth.

"In previous years we've supported many companies across Lancashire and your company could benefit as well."

The programme encourages the involvement of local rural communities.

Decisions on which companies to fund are taken by local representatives from businesses, the public and community organisations.

They then use their local knowledge and expertise to decide how to allocate the funding in their area.

There are three locally-appointed groups in Lancashire, known as Local Action Groups (LAGs). They are Lancashire North; Lancashire West; and Lancashire Pennine Moors, which also covers parts of Greater Mancheser.

Each LAG is made up of representatives from the public, private and voluntary sectors, who meet once a year to set a local development strategy for their local area.

For details, visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/rural-development or email ruralfunding@lancashire.gov.uk.