A CHILDCARE business which has brought extra jobs to a Darlington estate is being hindered by vandalism.

Jeanette Watson saw a gap in childcare provision in the Cockerton area of the town, so she set up Star Kids 2000 in Nickstream Lane, where she lives, to give something back to the community.

The nursery has been running for six months and employs two local people, as well as two people from elsewhere in Darlington and Newton Aycliffe.

It is approved by the Office for Standards in Education, and has spaces for 38 children up to the age of 14, covering pre-school, after-school, holiday cover and full daycare.

Mrs Watson said that there were 21 children on her register, but she felt she would have more if it was not for the vandalism.

She fears some parents might be put off taking their children to her nursery because of the bars she has been forced to have put on the windows to deter vandals.

"It is probably affecting the business," she said.

"The problem is continuous really. When we come to work at 7.30 in the morning there is glass and condoms and all sorts left outside from the night before. It is disgusting.

"They are here after school, hanging around, and then at night as well."

Mrs Watson said groups of up to 40 youngsters, aged 11 to 18, gathered at the shops in Nickstream Lane, drinking, smoking, playing football and often being abusive.

"They need somewhere to go, to stop them drinking on the street. Eleven-year-olds should not be drinking on the streets," she said.

"There isn't anything for them here. We need to think about providing somewhere for them to go, a drop-in centre or a youth club. Somewhere where they are supervised and can re-learn some social skills.".

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said outreach workers from the Community Safety Partnership conducted a survey over three weeks on Friday nights with youngsters in the Nickstream Lane and Bates Avenue area to find out what they wanted.

It revealed that the majority wanted somewhere safe to go at night. Since then a Youth Pod had been sited at the Beck House car park and work was continuing to provide more facilities and activities for young people.