AN acclaimed scheme to keep youngsters off the streets by getting them hooked on fishing has won the support of Barclays Bank.

Durham PC Mick Watson launched the scheme two years ago. Since then it has introduced more than 200 youngsters, aged between ten to 16, to the joys of angling, through two-day courses led by expert coaches.

It has gone on to win the support of anglers, senior police officers, Government agencies and voluntary and public bodies.

Now Barclays Bank has donated £12,500 towards the scheme's running costs.

Stella McRae, from the bank's regional community programme, said: "We are delighted to support the scheme, which is giving young people the opportunity to improve their confidence by learning a new skill.''

PC Watson said: "The whole idea of the scheme is to give children from a cross-section of social backgrounds the chance to take up a worthwhile hobby that will help keep them out of harm's way.''

Similar schemes have been set up in other parts of the country.

Five youngsters who have passed through the scheme are helping to promote it. They are Wayne Collins, 14, from Escomb, near Bishop Auckland, Andrew Appleby, 17, from Crook, Jon Soulsby, 15, from Stanley, Joshua Blythe, 16, from Durham City, and Philip Farley, 17, from Sunderland.

They will talk about the scheme to an estimated one million people at exhibitions and fairs across the country over the next six months.

PC Watson raised £80,000 to launch the scheme with the backing of the Durham Agency Against Crime.