THREE youngsters from Middlesbrough have been chosen to take part in a tall ships race.

Craig Dastidar, Michael McMahon, and Jamie Jolley will sail in one of the legs of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships event next week.

The trio were nominated by the West Middlesbrough Youth Inclusion project to join the Cirdan Sailing Trust ship Duet.

Their trip has been made possible by a £1,000 bursary from the sailing trust and a £1,000 grant from West Middlesbrough New Deal for Communities (NDC).

The trust held a sailing trip for youngsters earlier this year, and was so impressed with those who took part that it invited NDC to nominate three teenagers to join the La Coruna to Santander leg of the race, starting on Monday.

Lynn Bullock, from the NDC Youth Inclusion Project, said: "This is marvellous for Craig, Michael and Jamie, as young people would not usually be given this kind of opportunity.

"I am delighted to see them all rewarded in this way as they worked really hard, as did all our young people when we took them sailing."

The teenagers will join four members of the Scout Organisation from Middlesex on their leg of the race, and will be among a 50-strong fleet of ships.

Leonie Turner, from the Sailing Trust, said: "There are few other environments that can match a large sailing vessel for helping young people to develop life skills."