HUNDREDS of children will enjoy a safer summer after funding was announced to provide free activities for young people over the holidays.

The Safely Off The Streets project will run in Wheatley Hill throughout the school holidays and continue into next year, offering a range of fun activities aimed at school-age children in the area.

The project has been awarded more than £9,000 from a community fund set up by Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg and grant-making charity the County Durham Community Foundation.

In all, just under £150,000 has been set aside to fund 21 different projects designed to cut crime and improve community safety.

The programme in Wheatley Hill started this week, based at the Greenhills Centre. In the first few days, 34 youngsters took part in a morning football session, while 29 children and 11 adults signed up for the first creative crafts session.

Other activities taking place at the centre include sports and football coaching, dance, arts and a youth club. There will also be themed safety sessions such as road safety, bikeability and water safety.

Hilary Jamieson, operations manager at Wheatley Hill Community Association, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for our local community. It enables our children, young people and their families to access fun, safe activities on their doorstep.

"Whilst Wheatley Hill Community Association have planned the first summer holiday activity programme we will actively be seeking input from the community to shape the programmes from October 2015 through to May 2016”.

Ron Hogg said: "Victims of crime and community safety concerns continue to be at the heart of my Police and Crime Plan for 2015-17. Investing in local projects like this one is important, as they have such a positive impact on the surrounding community.

"I am pleased that so many families in the Wheatley Hill area will benefit from these activities. This project will engage young people in a variety of ways, while keeping them safely off the streets during the holidays."

Barbara Gubbins, chief executive of County Durham Community Foundation, said: "The project at Wheatley Hill is a great example of the type of projects funded and it's a delight to see how successful activities like this can be and what great opportunities they bring to the children of the area.

“It’s a fantastic start to the funding given out this year."