YOUNGSTERS in Middlesbrough are fed up because they have been told they have nowhere to play ball games during the summer holidays.

The children have been banned from playing games in Teesville following complaints by residents in Brunswick Avenue and Westbourne Grove.

Following the complaints, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council put up a notice telling the children that ball games were not allowed.

Dave Farthing, whose children, Tom, eight, and six-year-old Rebecca, are among the youngsters who play in the area, is angry about the ban.

He says the parents prefer the children to play in the neighbourhood where they can keep an eye on them.

He said: "There is nowhere else for them to play their ball games because there is no piece of land that is safe and they have to cross Normanby Road, which is far too busy."

Mr Farthing said the youngsters haven't been able to play since the sign went up - and they are fed up about it.

"It is getting them down - the lads want to play football and have got all their football kits on, and the girls want to play their games - they all like to play ball games.

Playing games is part of kids' development and if they are stopped from doing that, it is a bit sad."

Sheelagh Clarke, the new borough councillor for Teesville, told The Northern Echo she was going to investigate the residents' complaints.

She said: "There are two sides to this and that is difficult, but where we can, we want to find a compromise.

"The problem is compounded by the fact that many school playing areas have been shut up, but with the Sarah Payne case, children have got to play somewhere where their parents can see them."