PROUD parents are campaigning to keep their talented film-making children together.

Work by the youngsters, all aged 11 to 16, featured in the international film and animation festival Animex 2002 and at the Royal Television Society's Young Film-Makers Awards.

But funding for their club has run out and the children have now formed a self-help group, called Animates.

With the support of Middlesbrough Borough Council, the youngsters' parents are applying for community grants to keep weekly workshops going and the University of Teesside is also keen to see the group continue.

They meet at the university every Saturday.