A SHOPPING centre is supporting youth sport by providing more than £3,000 in sponsorship to teams from the area.

After appealing to schools and community groups to take up its offer to sponsor a team for a year, Hillstreet, in Middlesbrough, was so overwhelmed by the response that it has now changed its original plan of sponsoring one boys' team and one girls' team and are instead sponsoring four organisations.

Peter Drabble, manager of the Hillstreet, said: "Sport, particularly football, is important in Middlesbrough and by sponsoring these teams we are helping them develop their skills.

"We were so impressed by the quality of all the teams which got in touch that it seemed a shame not to help as many of them as we could in some way."

Hillstreet will buy football strips for North Ormesby under tens, and Eston Athletic will receive new football kits, balls and nets.

The Coulby Newham Crystals girls' football team will receive strips, balls and training kits. Gymnastic club The Riverside Display Team, from Eston, will get 40 T-shirts.

Dave Littlewood, chairman of Eston Athletic, said: "We keep kids off the streets, out of trouble and free from crime.

"We aim to give them enjoyment and put stability into their lives.

"We rarely get any support so this is a real boost to us."