A SCHEME to cut anti-social behaviour among youngsters on a Darlington estate has received a lottery windfall.

Firthmoor Community Association received £101,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to carry out vital work.

The association has employed play workers, funded by the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund for the past two years, but that money is due to run out in May.

The latest award now means the work can continue.

Play workers say they will be aiming to steer local youngsters away from getting involved in anti-social behaviour.

And one of the project's priorities will be asking the young people what kind of activities they want to see - rather than having them decided for them.

Association spokesman Martin Landers said: "The aim of the new funding bid was to get young people involved in activities that helps keep them away from anti-social behaviour.

"They'll be doing activities they actually want to see themselves, instead of having adults making assumptions about what they want.

"We're going to set up dialogue groups with young people. They'll be drawing up wish-lists and really getting involved in the decision-making process.

"Hopefully we're going to increase the amount of front-line work we do with children."

The association wants its play workers to spend at least 20 hours a week during term time with the young people. This will increase to 50 hours a week during holiday time.

Mr Landers said: "We're absolutely over the moon with the grant and the current project is scheduled to begin in May."

The original scheme began in 2003 after the association secured a £20,000 National Lottery grant.

It was launched in response to local youngsters complaining of a lack of facilities and activities in the area.