A bid for £4m lottery funding to restore a historic guildhall has moved a step closer.

The Guildhall of St George on King Street in King's Lynn is thought to be the only surviving theatre where Shakespeare performed, with those behind the bid looking to bring theatre back to the building.

Today at a meeting of West Norfolk Council cabinet it was decided that an expression of interest would be submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (HLF) for the guildhall complex.

Councillor Michael de Whalley who was present at the meeting asked that the council amend the motion so that it allowed for alterations to the bid of any size as wording previously stated only minor changes would be made to the proposal.

Mr De Whalley had asked for the amendment as Shakespeare's Guildhall Trust had asked for significant revisions to be made.

The bid will now be voted on by the full council.

An application for £2.7m to refurbish the Guildhall of St George, in King's Lynn, was turned down in 2017.

Its theatre and surrounding buildings, which stretch from King Street to the river, were most recently used as an arts centre. It has been used as a hall for hire since that closed, in 2016.