MEMBERS of the North-East Regional Youth Assembly will no longer have to make the long journey from Teesside to attend meetings.

A video link means Stockton members can take part in conferences from their home town.

It has always been difficult to bring delegates together from across the region, but the link between the Teesside City Learning Centre and the Youth Information Shop in the Gateshead MetroCentre has solved the problem.

A trial, involving Stockton members Mattie Campbell, Daniel Benson and James Johnson from Stockton, and four from Gateshead and Northumberland, was hailed a success.

Another conference is planned for October at which it is hoped to link up four centres from across the region.

Chris Downie, from Stockton Youth Service, said: "Getting members of the North-East Regional Youth Assembly to meetings has always been one of the major problems we have encountered.

"This new video conferencing facility should bring the assembly into the 21st Century."