CHILDREN have provided outsiders with a snapshot of their hometown on Teesside.

Nine Grangetown youngsters have caught life in the community on camera as part of an after-school photography course at their local library, winning much praise for their work.

The photos have been judged so good, they have been put together for a touring exhibition.

Professional photographer Tony Griffiths, who coached the children, said: "They showed a natural eye for what makes a good photo and their work really captures this fascinating area.

"I was struck by their tremendous creativity and enthusiasm and some of the resulting work is fantastic. It's been really difficult deciding which photos to include in the exhibition."

Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, the council's cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: "They have shown the full reality of life in Grangetown, which is an area that clearly retains a strong sense of community."

The two boys and seven girls, aged nine to 15, were selected from the Grangetown Youth Forum and given a grant from the North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, through Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

The nine schoolchildren - Zoe Tuckey, Nalema Uddin, Sayaf Uddin, Michael Duffield, Lucy and Laura Wilson, Becky Summersgill, Kirsty McKechney and Becky Tierney, took part in three workshops with Mr Griffiths, of Durham.

They received photography training and used digital cameras to take more than 50 pictures of residents and their children, as well as houses, gardens and shops.

The aim of the course was to show the reality of the area through the eyes of young people and ethnic minority groups.

A total of 28 photos have been selected for the exhibition, which will tour libraries and other community venues across the borough over coming months and the photos will be put on CD-Rom.