A community bus providing a service for youngsters and people with mobility problems has taken to the road.

The bus, provided with the help of the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) run by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Durham County Council and industrial waste and transport firm Hargreaves (UK) Limited, will operate as Consett Community Access.

It will be run by the Consett Churches Detached Youth Project.

Youth project spokesman Jackie Forbes said: "The youth project was established in 1981, following the closure of the local steelworks, a major employer in the area.

"Its aim was to help deal with the knock-on effects brought about by unemployment, such as depression and family break-ups, particularly the effect it would have on the young people of the villages around Consett.

"Our outdoor youth detached workers contact young people who may normally hang around on street corners or bus shelters and build up a relationship with them, encouraging them to join our wide-ranging activities and educational workshops.

"These range from fishing and archery to martial arts and drug awareness courses.

"The new bus will make a real difference, allowing us to take the youngsters further afield.

"With the help of a team of volunteer drivers, we can provide a vital service to others in the community, both individuals and groups, who may have transport difficulties."

A Rural Enterprise Scheme grant of £238,000 was awarded to the project by the Rural Development Service on behalf of Defra. Hargreaves (UK) Limited contributed £20,000.

Durham County Council supported the initiative by providing help to meet those costs which were outside the scope of the RES project.

Stephen Collins, an advisor for the Rural Development Service in the North-East, said: "One of the key aims of RES is to help and support the development of rural communities and transport services are a key element in achieving this.

"The Consett Community Access project will not only help those involved in the youth project but also the wider community and we are delighted to have been able to support this project."

For more information or to book the bus, contact Jackie Forbes or Matt Hall on (01207) 501863.