AN international youth project looking at disability will be held in County Durham next month.

Shoulder to Shoulder will involve more than 40 young people from the county and European countries including Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.

The event, which has been co-ordinated by Durham County Council's international office and funded by Connect Youth International, will run from February 8 to 15.

It has been organised to coincide with the European Year of People with Disabilities.

Sarah Dunn, the council's assistant international officer, said: "There are 37million people with disabilities in the EU and this initiative aims to highlight the barriers and discrimination faced by disabled people and to improve the lives of those who have a disability. It will provide a forum to discuss the involvement and exclusion of young people with disabilities within our communities."