A SERIES of youth shelters will be set up to give youngsters somewhere to meet with each other.

There are plans for three shelters for Ferryhill, County Durham - at Dean Bank, King George V playing field, and Surtees playing field, in Ferryhill Station.

The locations have been chosen after consultations with youngsters on where they would like the shelters to be placed.

The shelters will cost £9,000, paid for by Ferryhill Town Council and Sedgefield Borough Council. Funding has also been applied for from other sources.

The first shelter is to be placed in the Dean Bank area and three possible locations have been identified - on land next to the community centre, the school, and to the rear of Kelvin Street.

Beth Storey, youth development worker for Ferryhill, has been involved in speaking to young people about what they would like to see.

She said: "The feedback I've had has been very positive because there are very few places where young people can go at the moment."

She added: "It has been shown in studies around the country that anti-social behaviour decreases if there is a youth shelter, because the young people know they're not going to get moved on."

Some Dean Bank residents have expressed concern about the plans.

Jamie Corrigan, Ferryhill Town Council executive officer, said: "One of the keys is that they have to be placed where the kids want them, not just somewhere adults want to place it. We have received a number of letters regarding the sites, with positive and negative comments.

"If anyone wants to let us have their views on these proposed placings, the plans are displayed in the town hall."

A public meeting to let people know of the plans, and to allow concerns to be voiced, has been arranged for Tuesday, August 21, in Dean Bank Community Centre from 6pm.