YOUNGSTERS could have 'hang-out' shelters built as part of a pilot scheme.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council will consider building youth shelters in an attempt to stop anti-social behaviour.

The authority is pledging to spend more than £1m on improving the borough's play areas, which may include hang-out areas.

Coun Dave Fitzpatrick, member for culture, leisure and tourism, told a cabinet meeting that the idea needed to be examined very closely to ensure its success.

"Firstly we want to ensure their design and location is correct," he said. "We don't want shelters all over the borough without evidence that they will be successful.

"The simplest way of testing that is to select pilot areas for the shelters and monitor progress over a given period of time - and that is what we will be doing."

But Labour Party leader George Dunning said: "We are worried that money will come from play areas and be spent instead on the back streets of East Cleveland."

However, Coun Fitzpatrick said: "I want to reassure the public who want to see improvements to play areas that a considerable sum of investment will go into doing just that."