A NEW £1m youth club has dispelled the image of tatty and under-funded clubs once and for all.

Instead of torn snooker tables and faded dart boards, Thornaby's new £1m club - called The Youthy - has a free Internet caf, 20ft climbing frame and big screen satellite TV.

With a college accredited course, as well as a mini Citizens Advice Bureau and family planning clinic, The Youthy offers youngsters the sort of facility their parents could only dream about.

Funding for the Teesside project, which took the best part of a year to build, came from Single Regeneration Budget money and Sport England.

The centre is owned by the Five Lamps organisation and run by a youth committee of 15 people from Thornaby Community School and St Patrick's Secondary School.

Centre manager Joanna Da Silva said: "We are giving them the chance to take control of their own lives, learn new skills and meet new people.

The centre, designed for 11 to 24-year-olds, will be open seven days a week from 10am to 9pm on weekdays and from noon to 4pm at weekends.

Qualified staff at the Youthy will also be offering courses from Stockton and Billingham College along with other projects such as work grants, adult guidance and modern apprenticeship courses.