There were celebrations in Diss yesterday after the town learned that a bid for extra funding to complete its Cittaslow snail trail had been approved. Some 20 towns applied for the Action for Market Towns cash, but only 12, including Diss, which received the maximum grant, were successful.

There were celebrations in Diss yesterday after the town learned that a bid for extra funding to complete its Cittaslow snail trail had been approved.

Some 20 towns applied for the Action for Market Towns cash, but only 12, including Diss, which received the maximum grant, were successful.

The town will receive £27,000 for the project, made possible by Diss Town Council providing £3,000 match funding. Diss became a Cittaslow town in 2005. The international movement focuses on quality of life and gives the stamp of approval to communities which provide quality facilities and the time to enjoy them.

The extra funding will be spent on a raft of things such as notice boards, new benches and litter bins for the town and an educational board explaining the heritage of the Mere. Developing places for people to sit down and rest is a key goal, along with good litter and waste management.

The grant will also fund a new Cittaslow website, www.cittaslow diss.co.uk and the publication of a new Cittaslow/slow living guide, which it is hoped will be ready in May when the Diss book festival will be held.

The guide will be priced at just a few pounds and will help raise funds for Diss Community Partnership so it can continue delivering Cittaslow projects on behalf of the town.

The new snail trail will promote the environment, heritage and specialist shopping and other services in Diss. Visitors will be encouraged to walk the trail to find out the best of Diss.

Starting in the spring, families visiting Diss will be able to obtain a new free Cittaslow visitor pack from the Diss Tourist Office, which has been funded by £3,000 from a pot run by the Norfolk Rural Community Council.

A further £3,000 has also been secured from South Norfolk Council for a new Cittaslow Diss visitor leaflet.

Cynthia Schears, co-ordinator of Diss Cittaslow LEADER+ Programme, said: "I am delighted. In total an extra £33,000 has now been achieved on top of the initial Leader £100,000 for Cittaslow and I hope it demonstrates that Cittaslow is good for the town."