TEENAGE offenders have been taking part in a scrapheap challenge as part of a rehabilitation programme.

Five 17-year-olds were involved in the Intensive Supervisions and Surveillance scheme, organised by the Youth Offending Team, which aims to keep young people out of trouble.

Part of their programme was to take up a Scrapheap Challenge-style project where they built go-karts out of scrap material. The project, devised by Nacro, training organisation Disc, the Learning and Skills Council and Redcar and Cleveland College, involved the youngsters using engineering skills, driving theory and hazard and risk management.

Sheelagh Gillespie, who organised the scheme, said: "These are young people who were given a chance to show they could do something constructive and have come good.

"They are putting something back into the community and have shown they can learn new skills and make a go of things."

The teenagers showed off their handiwork at the Riverside Stadium yesterday, where they were presented with certificates by Wallis Wilson, the regional manager of the Youth Justice Board.