DREAMS of creating a giant extreme sports and leisure centre in Rossendale are in the hands of the lottery.

The multi-million pound Adrenaline Centre project has been chosen by Lancashire County Council as its official nomination for the People's Millions a lottery-funded scheme which will feature on TV next year when viewers across the country will pick one project to benefit from £49million worth of funding.

And the plans, which are being led by Rossendale Leisure Trust, were given a warm welcome by bosses from the National Lottery when they visited the area.

Co-ordinator Andy McNae said: "There's no doubt the project has caught the imagination of people locally and across the region.

"We felt the lottery people liked what they saw but there is a lot of competition and we know it will be difficult to be selected for the final shortlist."

The scheme to create a state-of-the-art centre and transform Rossendale's disused quarries into a magnet for tourists has already secured £80,000 to carry out a detailed feasibility study, which is being done by consultants Tribal.

It is hoped it would inject new life into Lee Mill and Greens Moor quarries above Bacup and Stacksteads.

The proposals include the relocation of Ski Rossendale to the new site and the creation of a massive 500m main ski slope, an intermediate slope, two specialist snowboard runs, a 1,500-capacity aprs-ski centre and extensive nursery facilities.

Leisure bosses hope the centre will house England's premier mountain biking facility and provide a wide range of activities, including paragliding and dry sledging, as well as horse riding, archery and large-scale art work.

They also plan to use the quarries as natural amphitheatres for open-air summer music concerts.

A decision on the projects which have made the shortlist will be made in August.