YOUNGSTERS converged on a North-East university yesterday to hear how they could organise a mini-Commonwealth Games.

More than a hundred secondary school pupils gathered at Durham University for a Young People Leading the Way conference on sports leadership.

Run by a team of 25 undergraduates, the event was one of 17 taking place across the UK.

It formed part of the Youth Sport Trust's Top Link Initiative, which encourages secondary school children to organise and stage sport or dance festivals for local primary or special school youngsters.

This year, Top Link has been adopted by the Department for Education and Skills as part of a programme to coincide with the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games Sprit of Friendship Festival.

At the conference, university students gave practical advice on how to run a successful Top Link festival, including tips on health and safety and managing the media.

Running alongside the conference was a professional development day for teachers.

Mike Waring, the university's senior health lecturer, said: "This is an excellent programme that will help these young people develop the skills to be future leaders in society."