A SENIOR police officer is backing a bid for YMCA premises in a market town.

Kevin Tuck, the community inspector at Barnard Castle police station, said YMCA premises would help keep anti-social behaviour off the streets.

Inspector Tuck said he will champion the YMCA's cause to ensure the project goes ahead.

The YMCA has premises in Galgate, which it is hoping to develop into an Internet caf and drop-in centre for young people.

The work is expected to cost about £150,000 and Insp Tuck told the Teesdale Police Community Consultative Group he would help to find funding for the project.

He said: "It's my intention to champion this. It's very much linked to reducing anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime.

"It's a real opportunity for Barnard Castle and the whole community.

"We're talking about up to 60 teenagers a night who will be able to go into the building and have a safe place to be."

Insp Tuck, who grew up in Barnard Castle, said he would try to get items such as DVD players and video-game consoles for the project.

He is hoping the police authority may be able to donate £3,000 for a plasma screen television. He has had a £1,000 donation from the community safety partnership. Insp Tuck hopes to persuade the two local county councillors to make donations from their initiatives budget and will approach Barnard Castle Town Council.

Insp Tuck added: "The challenge is to put items inside the building to get people off the streets - you need all the sort of things you would expect in a youth club.

"I remember going to the old YMCA on Birch Road 25 years ago and it helped keep me off the streets."

The building in Galgate recently opened as a charity shop to help raise money for the building costs.

Designers are working with young people to convert the building into something they would use.

Tracey Blandford, the project manager at the YMCA, said: "We're trying to raise quite a lot of money to redevelop the building and having the police support is really helping in moving it forward."