VILLAGE teenagers now have a place to meet, thanks to four enterprising youngsters from the community.

Yesterday, the youth shelter was officially opened in South Hetton.

Nadine Maddison, Sophie Prince, Shauna Flower and Laura Thompson came up with the idea and then went on to raise money to help pay for it.

The 15-year-olds were given a helping hand to achieve their ambition by the police, South Hetton Parish Council, South Hetton Partnership and Easington District Council.

Police community support officer (PCSO) Jane Clawson, of Easington neighbourhood policing team, yesterday congratulated the girls for helping to forge stronger relationships between local young people and the organisations involved.

The shelter, in the village's Front Street, would help to provide a safe place for young people to meet, said PCSO Clawson.

She added: "We hope that it will also help to reduce anti-social behaviour and fear of crime in the neighbourhood.''

It was after local youngsters expressed their concern that there was nowhere for them to meet in the village, that the police agreed to work with them to find a solution and the four girls volunteered to take the lead.

After staging a series of fundraising events, the four approached Durham County Council's Youth Opportunity Fund for assistance towards the £10,500 needed to construct the shelter and agreement was secured.