A SCHEME to give youngsters on a Darlington housing estate a new interest has become a great success, with dozens of children joining up.

Firthmoor Community Centre has launched several projects for local youngsters, including a fishing club established seven weeks ago and a dance club set up last September.

The Firthmoor Angling Club team was set up by angler Ian Thompson and Trish Johnson, whose husband is also a keen fisherman.

Already, 25 children have joined the group.

Mrs Johnson said: "The idea was to give the bairns something to do. The kids love it."

Mr Thompson said: "We teach them everything they need to know to go fishing, starting at the very beginning.

We also have a session on protecting the environment and make sure they know about things like not leaving any litter behind.

" The club has been going very, very well - better than we anticipated," he said.

The club meets every Tuesday at the centre, between 4pm and 5.30pm, and there are plans to take the children on fishing trips.

Club members will also make use of the fishing lake being created next to Firthmoor Primary School as part of the Get Hooked on Fishing programme, launched in 2000 by the Durham Agency Against Crime.

Funded by Durham Police, the Environment Agency and the Countryside Alliance, the initiative was set up to give children something to do to help them resist the temptations of anti-social behaviour.

Co-ordinator PC Mick Watson, a Durham Constabulary officer who thought up the idea of Get Hooked on Fishing, has been working with members of the Firthmoor club.

The centre also operates a children's dance club, which has 44 members - all girls - although organisers would like to see some boys join up.