Westcountry seaside towns have been invited to bid for a share of £24 million in Government regeneration grants.

The Coastal Communities Fund, announced last July, is intended to boost jobs and prosperity in ailing resorts by helping them to modernise tourism facilities or diversify into other sectors.

Successful applicants can expect to get a grant of between £50,000 and £2 million, with the cash coming from revenues generated by the Crown Estate's marine assets.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said he hoped to receive bids from charities, businesses, social enterprises and local organisations.

Mr Pickles said: "Seaside towns and coastal communities have huge potential for economic growth that we simply can't afford to waste – this fund can make all the difference to these places we all know and love."

Westcountry resorts are among the most hard-pressed in the region. Official figures show Torbay, part of what is dubbed the English Riviera, is one of the poorest areas in the country.

Last year, academics at Sheffield Hallam University found low pay is blighting coastal towns, with annual wages in towns on the North Cornwall coast around £6,000 less than the average.