PEOPLE are being urged to volunteer for a project designed to get teenagers off the streets in a deprived area of Darlington.

The pilot project will see Branksome School opened on Friday evenings to offer social and sporting activities for young people.

The 16-week scheme is a joint venture between Branksome School and the Community Partnership, driven by Darlington police.

It follows a police crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the town, which has focused on Branksome and Cockerton.

In February, the police launched a team of officers dedicated to tackling the problems of youths causing annoyance, following almost 5,000 complaints of anti-social behaviour to police last year.

The StreetSafe team has been concentrating on under-age drinking, but large groups of young people are still hanging around the streets because there is nothing for them to do in the area on a Friday night.

Sergeant Dave Kirton, who leads the StreetSafe team, is appealing for residents to volunteer for the project.

Two weeks ago, he visited the school and asked pupils what kind of activities they would like.

Their answers included rock climbing, swimming, dance mats, snooker, trampolining, beauty therapy and manicures, boxing, art, raves, bingo, paintballing and chess.

Sgt Kirton said: "If we provide positive activities for young people, it will divert them away from anti-social behaviour.

"Now we need people from the community to come forward to volunteer a few hours a week to help out.

"The rewards are the satisfaction of helping young people and there may be an opportunity for training."

Howard Gilfillan, headteacher at Branksome School, said: "There is very little for youngsters to do and they just hang around parks. They need activities up here."

Seven off-licences in Cockerton and Branksome have agreed to operate an over-21s only policy on Friday nights. This is also a move to stop 18 and 19-year-olds buying alcohol for underage drinkers.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering can telephone the police officers on the StreetSafe team on (01325) 346494 or 07855 434365.