A DISUSED football ground is to be developed to help keep youngsters off the streets.

The former Ferryhill Athletic Football Club ground has stood empty for more than five years since the club went bankrupt, and has attracted vandals and fire-raisers.

Now Ferryhill Town Council has bought the stadium and plans to develop it into a sports ground. Members hope the facility will ease the problems the town has experienced with bad behaviour by some of its younger residents.

Beat officer PC Chris Metcalfe said: "I spend a lot of my time dealing with complaints about young people and their anti-social behaviour.

"There are some youngsters who drink under-age and cause problems - not major crimes, petty ones - but nonetheless, a concern for the people of the town.

"Anything that will take these kids off the streets and give them something to do is a worthwhile venture, and could help give the people of Ferryhill a better quality of life."

Executive officer at Ferryhill Town Council, Jamie Corrigan, said the council had bought the land for a five-figure sum, well below its market value.

He said: "We want to develop the land into a sports ground for the people of Ferryhill, but particularly the young people of the town.

"We are carrying out investigations into what grants are available for us, so we can make the developments we want to.

"The council is aware of the anti-social behaviour of some young people in Ferryhill and the problems it can cause.

"We hope that by providing something for the youth of the town, we can go some way to addressing these problems."

He said the developments would also ease concerns over the appearance of the area.

Mr Corrigan said: "We are undertaking a community appraisal and an interim report criticises the ground as it is now, saying it is one of the town's eyesores.

"We want to help put the heart back into Ferryhill, and would like to see a sports club at the ground which carries the town's name."