A £50,000 GRANT to help celebrate the millennium was awarded to West Sussex today.

The cash will pay for a big Year 2000 cycle ride, a youth festival and an archive project.

Heritage Secretary Chris Smith announced the award in Birmingham.

The money comes from the Millennium Commission and follows a bid by the West Sussex Millennium Forum chaired by former county High Sheriff Hugh Wyatt.

The forum was set up by West Sussex County Council to plan ways of celebrating the milestone.

Mr Wyatt said: "We are delighted to have been given the money to help the county celebrate and commemorate the new millennium."

The cycle ride is due to take place in the summer of 2000 and details of the route will be discussed shortly.

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said: "It will raise awareness of the importance of cycling as a greener form of transport."

The youth weekend, on a date to be fixed, will involve thousands of youngsters in art, drama and music projects.

The grant also pays for an archive project involving video and taped interviews with West Sussex people on what life was like in their community in the Year 2000 which will be stored for future generations.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.