YOUNG carers are raising awareness of the help they give to sick relatives through artwork.

Images portraying the supportive role played by the youngsters are being produced as posters to display in public places.

More than 20 young carers from across County Durham came together to produce their designs at the weekend.

Local artist Norman Kirtlan helped their ideas come to life at a workshop staged at Chester-le-Street Youth Centre.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones judged the posters.

Four posters are to be professionally printed and distributed for display in a variety of locations, including schools, GPs' surgeries and libraries to raise awareness of the role of a young carer.

The event was staged by children's charity Barnardo's, which runs a young carers' project in County Durham, based at the youth centre.

Katie Aikman, from the project, said: "A group of young carers has worked really hard over the past 18 months to fundraise for the day, and they have managed to secure £1,000 from the Keyfund Federation, which offers funding to young people's groups.

"We wanted to raise awareness of the issue of caring for a relative or sibling, and the young people thought that making posters was a good way to do it."

Themes adopted for the posters were based on the young carers' experiences.