A FOOTBALL initiative pioneered in some of the UK's most divided communities has come to Darlington.

Floodlit pitches will be opened up on weekend evenings in an effort to lure young people off the streets and bring areas of the town closer together.

The scheme, which has run with great success in Northern Ireland and the east end of London, will be piloted in the Park East ward of Darlington from February 13.

Featuring coaching from Darlington Football Club's Football in the Community, the sessions will run at the Coleridge Centre, Skerne Park, on Friday and Saturday evenings from 4pm to 7pm.

All ages are welcome to attend.

If the pilot is successful, other pitches around the borough will be opened up, with the organisers hoping to hold a tournament between participants at Darlington Arena in the summer.

Mark Brooksbank, of Darlington Football in the Community, who oversaw similar schemes in Hackney and Walthamstow in London, said: "It's not just a scheme to keep kids off the streets, we are hoping it will unite the town, and the football club as well.

"It doesn't totally alleviate the underage drinking and drug problems, but it definitely gives the kids a focus, which really helps."

The sessions are supported by Darlington Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, a collaboration of the borough's Police, Fire Brigade and Council, amongst other bodies.

Acting sergeant Daryl Edmunds, of the East beat policing team, said: "We are all working together for the good of the community - it's a really exciting project."

Cyndi Hughes, Park East ward councillor, said: "We have the highest number of young people, aged 11 to 18-years-old, and we also have the highest number of single parents.

"Bearing that in mind, I think we probably need this more than anybody else, in order to offer positive things to do."

Funding has been secured to run the Park East pilot for the next three months, at a cost of £2,500.

Beyond that, the young people themselves will be encouraged to apply for funding to continue the scheme and expand it into different areas.