SCORES of young people pounded the pathways of east Durham as a major physical activity project reached its climax.

The Console to 5K project saw local young people involved in weeks of preparation for the final event, which will was staged at Noses Point in Seaham on Sunday.

Youngsters from Seaham Youth and Community Centre, Peterlee and Horden Rugby Club and The Project, Peterlee, completed the course, along with experienced runners from the official race organisers the Sunderland Strollers Running Club, including Olympic marathon runner Aly Dixon.

The project has been managed by local charity East Durham Trust with funding provided by the Wellesley Trust Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.

The initiative is a response to decreasing levels of Physical Activity amongst young people and throughout the winter months three groups of teenagers have been training regularly for the event.

Malcolm Fallow, chief executive of East Durham Trust said “The majority of these young people have never done anything like this before and whilst we might not be expecting Olympic Qualifying times it’s great to prove that not every teenager in East Durham is totally obsessed with computer games and mobile phones. This project has produced hours and hours of Physical Activity and I’m sure it won’t end here”.