Screen Yorkshire, one of the UK's regional screen agencies, announced that it hasreceived a record $18.7m (£10m) in funding over the next four years fromregional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

That compares to the $8.4m (£4.5m)over three years that Yorkshire Forward awarded the film agency in 2003.

Screen Yorkshire said the funding would go towards a new programme to make Yorkshire the UK leader in low-budget film production and to attract more film and TVshoots to the region.

Screen Yorkshire is already on board for the low-budget film scheme Warp X, with EMMedia, the UK Film Council, Warp Films, FilmFour andOptimum Releasing. The agency has committed $5.6-$7.5m (£3-£4m) to Warp X overthe next three years.

Screen Yorkshire said it will unveil new initiatives in the coming months and plans toattract production by investing in feature film and TV drama and developinginfrastructure and workforce. Future plans include creating an online locationand crewing database; continuing to offer training opportunities; and expandingits filming services.

"The award from YorkshireForward is a fantastic endorsement of our progress to date and I am confidentin our ambitious plans to attract higher levels of drama production and tofirmly put Yorkshire on the map as the centre of innovative filmmaking in theUK," said Sally Joynson, acting chief executive ofScreen Yorkshire.

The region has previously hostedfeature films including Driving Lessons, The History Boys, Calendar Girls, The Full Monty and My Summer of Love and TV series such asEmmerdale, Bodies and No Angels.