A POPULAR disco for under-age youngsters looks likely to come to an end.

The monthly event has been running for five years in Durham but now the organisers say that rising costs have made it unviable.

The last event will be held on Saturday, September 20 between 6.30pm and 10pm in Dunelm House, Durham Student Union's building in New Elvet.

The disco was started by the owners of the Caf Rock nightclub, in North Road, to give teenagers under the age of 18 a nightclub experience without the temptation of alcohol.

It gave youngsters a fun time in a safe environment and helped keep them out of trouble.

It moved to Dunelm House when the club's owners sold the business to Vimac Leisure about two years ago.

Steve Anderson, a director of Caf Rock, which now runs pubs, said that over the years the scheme had raised about £50,000 for charity.

"We just can't continue with it," said Mr Anderson. "The costs are spiralling and I have had to personally subsidise the last two.

"It used to cost us £350 to put on but it is now just under £1,000. We used to only charge £2.50 but we recently put it up to £4.

"That means it is starting to get expensive for the kids. For it to continue we would need it to go up to £6, which is too much."

Mr Anderson said he had approached several businesses in the hope of getting sponsorship but none had been forthcoming.

"If we could get some funding I wouldn't mind still running it but as it is it looks as if the next one will be the last.

"It should be a service more than anything else."