A SCHOOL wants to open on Friday nights in a bid to keep youngsters off the streets.

The scheme at Branksome Comprehensive School, in Darlington, follows a police project to stop under-age drinking and anti-social behaviour.

Police spent last week working with pupils to find out what kind of activities they would like to see in the area.

The move to open the school could well be the first of many schemes across the town as the Government pushes for schools to be community hubs and open extended hours.

It also follows the deaths of teenagers Stuart Adams and Lee Mullis, who were killed while playing on railway tracks at the Five Arches Bridge, in Darlington, on Good Friday.

Friends of the boys complained there was nothing to do and that was why they were hanging about near the bridge.

In February, Darlington police launched a team of five officers to crack the problems of youths committing anti-social behaviour - following nearly 5,000 reports to police last year.

The StreetSafe unit has been successful already, arresting more than 45 people aged under 25, many of them children.

Anti-social behaviour is a national problem and police are focusing on the problems in Branksome before moving to other areas.

Bernie Coyne, the deputy headteacher of Branksome Comprehensive, said: "We work closely with the police in our community and they said they were becoming increasingly aware of anti-social behaviour on a Friday night.

"Police said they had spoken to the children who said there was nothing for them to do. Initially, we will open the hall and the gym and then hopefully the pool.

"We would like to have something set up between now and the summer holidays."

Sergeant Dave Kirton, who leads the StreetSafe unit, spoke to every year group at the school last week.

He said: "The pupils came up with some amazing ideas and some rules we could use for the scheme, like identity card entry."

The police want to bring a mobile climbing wall to the area and hope the 16-week Branksome project will start soon.