COMMUNITY leaders have revealed plans for a major drive to encourage youngsters to take up new activities in a village plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Children of all ages are being invited to the Water Park, in Middleton St George, next month for an event designed to find out what the park has to offer.

The village has faced problems with nuisance youths over the past year and the Water Park has been a target.

Discarded cans of beer and lager, as well as drug-taking equipment, have been found.

Areas of the site have also been vandalised and so-called "boy racers" use it to drive their cars around at high speed late at night.

The situation has deteriorated to the extent that Middleton St George Parish Council is planning to lock the Water Park gates in the evening.

But councillors are now hoping that the youth of the village will respond to an open day at the park on Saturday, July 2, from 10am to 2pm.

The Middleton Rangers football team will be hosting a competition, the Ferryhill Angling Club will be there and there will be lots of information and activities based on the environment.

Parish council chairman Doris Jones said: "We really wanted to open the Water Park up to the kids in the village.

"It's just to show them that there are things to do and there are areas of the village that they can make the most of."