A PARTNERSHIP between elderly residents and young people has been praised for bringing together different sections of the community.

Members of Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) joined forces with residents of Darlington Manor Residential Home, some of whom have short-term memory loss, in crafting their contribution to the town's Community Carnival.

The carnival theme was myths and legends, so Gold chose a ghost story based around supernatural happenings at the North Road railway station.

The Manor residents dressed the minibus float to look like Locomotion Number One, the world's first passenger locomotive, while members of Gold spent hours making signs, floral displays, clocks, a lamppost and a ticket office.

Some residents from the Manor travelled in the float while people from Gold and children dressed in Edwardian costumes, carrying parasols and wearing top hats, joined the parade.

Gold community development worker Lesley Compson said: "The group picked the ghost story because it is a local legend everyone knows about and the overall effect was very ghostly. The whole project showed how older people and youngsters can work together in partnership very successfully. Both groups thoroughly enjoyed it and took a lot from the experience."