YOUTH leaders were celebrating after receiving a £22,000 windfall for a drop-in centre project.

Consett YMCA will use the cash to refurbish part of its old disco hall in the town centre and turn it into a community caf for youngsters.

The Street Cred Caf project was given a boost last week when centre bosses learned they had won a £22,000 grant from the Barclays Bank Community Investment Programme.

Billy Robson of Consett YMCA said: "The Street Cred drop-in cafwill provide a much-needed facility for all the community and we are looking forward to it being up and running as soon as possible.

"I am delighted that Barclays have recognised the value of the work we are doing in the local community."

The charity is working in partnership with Derwentside Primary Care Trust to provide a doctor's surgery at the centre.

It hopes to not only offer teenagers a place to hang out, but also somewhere they can get confidential advice on a range of issues such as teenage pregnancy, health and drugs.

There will also be access to computers, a television, plus a pool table and other games.

"It will be somewhere that young people of any age can sit in a nice environment and relax," said Mr Robson.

The refurbished hall will be a far cry from the original YMCA building - a wooden hut in Sherburn Terrace that was set up in 1919. The group moved to its existing premises in Parliament Street 30 years ago.

"Some of the hall is still nice but some of it is decrepit," said Mr Robson. "This is a facility that we have wanted for a long time and is something that will serve the whole community across Derwentside."

Stella McRae, North-East community manager for the Barclays project, present the cheque to Mr Robson and North Durham MP Hilary Armstrong in a special ceremony to be held at the centre on Saturday.

Work on the caf is due to start in the next two weeks. It is expected to open its doors early next year.