YOUNG people have created a shopping list to help community leaders decide how to best spend thousands of pounds improving youth facilities.

Teenagers from the Trimdon Station area have spent weeks studying their community and suggesting ways to improve facilities for their age group.

Using a giant map of the area, the youngsters have plotted a wish list of their top leisure priorities.

This week, they presented their findings to parish, borough and county councillors, who promised to take notice of the ideas when planning changes in the area.

Among the most popular suggestions were better sports facilities, a youth shelter, a skate park and bike trails and more youth clubs and discos in existing venues.

They also echoed opinions of older residents, raising concerns about untidy areas and anti-social behaviour.

Jonathan Hovvels, 14, of Trimdon Colliery, said: "We have nothing to do around here and found that most of us want the same sort of things.

"We're not bad lads, but know that some people don't like to see us hanging around or riding our bikes in the street.

"That is why we suggested bike tracks to give us somewhere to go that will make us and everyone else happy."

Easington District Council has already pledged £25,000 for facilities through Groundwork East Durham's Sorted II project.

Adam Martin, a community safety officer for County Durham Youth Engagement Service, said: "The location of Trimdon Station - straddling the boundary between Easington and Sedgefield districts - has given the young people an added hurdle to overcome.

"We are hoping to bring members of the various councils together in the hope that the districts themselves can put aside the question of where their responsibilities begin and end and work together in partnership to improve youth provision."

The presentation, at Trimdon Station Residents' Association Community House on Wednesday, was part of Local Democracy Week.