A MAJOR facelift of a Teesside housing estate has been launched.

Play facilities for youngsters are in the opening £140,000 first phase of a regeneration programme on Middlesbrough's Easterside estate.

Youth shelters or havens and a multi-use games court are high on the agenda with a toddlers' play area, community garden and other environmental improvements in later stages.

The plan was initially drawn up as part of a bid to the television programme Challenge Anneka, but the bid lost out to Edinburgh.

Residents have pushed for the Easterside revamp. They want to develop community activities, set up initiatives to tackle crime and offer training opportunities and advice.

The total scheme will cost more than £500,000 and will be phased over three years.

Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: "I'm very pleased to be invited to launch this project. It is clear that the key to this project taking off was community involvement at the grassroots, with a recognition that if we are to make a success of revitalising an estate like Easterside, it cannot be done without building a new landscape for the people of the community.

"This is a first-class partnership based, as it is, on local initiatives and local contractors."

Environmental regeneration charity Groundwork has been working with local residents and youngsters on ideas to improve the area of the estate around the shopping precinct, library and church and nearby open spaces.

June Goodchild, chairwoman of the Easterside and Saltersgill Community Council, said: "It's been a long time coming, but thanks to Groundwork we have made it. The people of Easterside really deserve this scheme.''