A MINI-EUROPEAN football championship for youngsters is coming to north Durham.

Four teenage football teams from Europe will be coming to Consett, in July, to take part in the second international competition.

Last year, the first tournament took place in northern Germany and it was such a success the County Durham organisers, Derwentside police and Consett YMCA, supported by Derwentside District Council, decided to hold it again.

Last year, the Derwentside team, who received a £4,800 grant from the European Union, made it to the final in Germany, but were beaten by the Russians 2-0. The players were all aged 13 and 14.

The event will take place between July 14 and 20.

The tournament is named the Alex Forsyth Memorial Football Competition in memory of the long-standing Derwentside YMCA youth worker who helped organise the original event.

Four teams have confirmed they will play at the Bell Vue Sports Centre, in Consett.

They are: Amiens from France, Tubingen from Germany, Szolnok from Hungary and Petrozavodsk from Northern Russia.

Also invited are two Derwentside representative teams, a Brazilian soccer school club and a fourth club from Chester-le-Street.

About 60 Europeans will come to the area and there will be a range of cultural activities.

The organisers are hoping to attract sponsorship to help cover the costs of the event from County Durham companies.

The travelling clubs are being funded by the European Union's Youth For Europe Fund.