A careers centre has been opened in Darlington to help people plan their futures.

Staff and services from the former Gladstone Street premises have been moved to the new centre in Houndgate.

Although aimed primarily at young people between the ages of 13 and 19, the Darlington Careers Centre is open to anyone who wants to explore career options.

A spokesman for the centre said: "The move to the new premises was driven by a desire to provide better facilities for those looking at their career options.

"The new location should make it easier for young people to visit the centre.

"It is also situated on the ground floor, providing ease of access for disabled clients and young mothers."

The centre still provides leaflets, university prospectuses, job vacancy displays and information on training opportunities, but also has a new computer system.

The network will allow people in Darlington to access information about job opportunities on the Internet for the first time.

Visitors will be able to get information or make an appointment for a formal discussion with a careers advisor.

The centre is being run by Darlington Careers, which has taken over the role from the County Durham Careers group.

Staff working at the former office were offered the opportunity to apply for positions either with the Durham group or the Darlington-based enterprise, and the majority chose to stay in the town.

Darlington Careers will run the service until September, when the Tees Valley Connexions service is launched.

This service will aim to provide people with information about jobs and courses available throughout the area.

The Connexions service is a national agency providing support for young people in various regions.

A spokesman for the centre said: "The primary aim of the centre is to allow teenagers to research what options are available to them - qualifications, training schemes and courses, in addition to university degrees.

"The centre covers those living in and around Darlington.