A CONTROVERSIAL shelter for young people could soon be given a six-month trial in a field next to a village play park.

WPC Alison Race has been trying to find a spot for a shelter in Middleton in Teesdale for more than a year, with various sites being mooted. An earlier plan to put it in Gas Lane was abandoned after residents raised a petition, but a survey by the policewoman has shown that young people of the village want a place of their own to "chill".

However, at Tuesday's meeting of the parish council, she told members that she was feeling encouraged by discussions with the trustees of the Middleton Educational Foundation about the placing of a 12ft by 8ft shelter in a field beside the play park at Wesley Terrace.

"They have agreed that we can go ahead and look at placing it there," said WPC Race, who said there would be certain provisos including painting it to blend in and it being fenced off. It would also need to be reviewed on a regular basis and conditions applied as to responsibility and noise.

"The site is not ideal, and I would like the shelter somewhere in view and more central," she added, wondering if they knew how to go about putting it on the village green.

The chairman, Coun Diana Mahood, said they would be taking a major step backwards if it went on the green, calling the idea a non-starter.

WPC Race is to continue pursuing the Wesley Terrace negotiations, but will try to back it up with other ideas.

Members thought there would be a lot of opposition from the terrace's residents.

WPC Race is also to reapply for money for the shelter through the police community grant fund after she was unable to spend the original offer because of the lack of a site