A NORTH-EAST town is to have not one but two elected mayors.

While grown-ups will go to the polls in May to choose a candidate to be responsible for running Middlesbrough and a multi-million pound budget, the town's teenagers will have already chosen their first citizen.

Creating a first in the UK, one of Middlesbrough's 9,000 secondary school pupils will be chosen next month to represent the interests of the community's young people - with a say on the spending of a £20,000-plus budget.

Leaflets are to be sent out today to every 11 to 17-year-old in the town, who will not only be eligible to vote in an election next month but will be able to stand for election.

He or she will work alongside the adult Mayor of Middlesbrough, who will be elected on May 2, and will be accountable to the Middlesbrough Youth Parliament.

The move is being made to encourage interest and involvement among young people in local democracy and citizenship.

"Nationally, alarm bells are ringing about the apathy of young people to citizenship and democracy and that young people can have a real say in the decisions that affect their lives," said Middlesbrough Council chief executive John Foster.

The youth budget will be held by the council and will be subjected to its decision-making and accounting procedures, a spokesman said last night.

Nominations will open on Tuesday and close on April 10.

A workshop for young people interested in standing for election will be held during the Easter holidays. There will be an election roadshow allowing candidates to make their speeches, with a postal ballot between April 19 and 25. The winner will be announced on or immediately after April 25.

Mr Foster said: "The aim of the project is to encourage young people to think that citizenship and democracy have a real value, and that young people can have a real say in the decisions that affect their lives. In Middlesbrough we are determined to take action."

He said the young mayor will have a real budget to tackle real issues affecting the well-being of young people in the town.