YOUNGSTERS who have difficulties coping with mainstream education have been rewarded for their hard work with a bowling trip.

The Behaviour Attendance and Truancy (BAT) Team, a multi-agency team comprising police officers, an educational welfare officer and a youth worker, has rewarded the youths with a trip to the Hollywood Bowl, in Stockton.

Sergeant Mick Caine, of the team, said: "The BAT team has been working for some time with the Skelton Intervention Unit, which is based at Skelton Primary School and is working towards integrating children, most of whom have some sort of behavioural difficulty, into the educational system.

"The children have made great progress since the outset and to reward them we organised this trip."