CHILDREN are often bored and bewildered by stuffy planning issues - but not a young trio from Stanley.

The youngsters were so concerned about possible developments on a stretch of land near their homes, that they made a poster telling planners and developers not to forget them.

Laura Hindmarsh, 11, Carl Hide, 9, and Laura Harris, 9, wanted to remind Derwentside District Council that they should include children and young people in any consultation exercise on the proposed Kings Head Field and Murray Park development.

Council officers are set to make a decision this month on the type of development on the greenfield site. A consultation exercise will get underway when a short-list of proposals has been drawn up.

Margaret Watson, a member of SAGE, the Stanley Action Group Enterprise, said: "It's great that children are getting involved in this, it shows they care about their future. The poster has the Save Our Field slogan across the top, pictures of play areas and a big red cross through a drawing of a house. They are saying they don't want just houses on the site - they want somewhere to play as well."

The children, handed the poster to district councillor Janice Docherty