Redevelopment projects at Dudley Zoological Gardens and the Black Country Living Museum have been awarded a £4.5m grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The funding will pay for a new access and joint arrival area for visitors to the zoo, Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Canal Trust.

The funding is the second successful bid for the zoo in recent months. In July, the zoo secured a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to redevelop and preserve its collection of Tecton buildings - thought to be the world's largest single collection.

Dudley Zoo chief executive, Peter Suddock, said: "This funding shows just how important the site and tourism are to the region.

"The programme will create easier access from the motorway, which will relieve current traffic problems, transform a derelict site into a car park accessed from a brand new infrastructure and boost visitor numbers."

Image:Dudley Zoo has a large collection of Tectonic buildings