A council department which came under fire has welcomed the results of a national audit that places it among the best in the country.

Darlington Borough Council's youth service was criticised for failing teenagers after a negative Ofsted report that rated it as inadequate in all areas.

But last night, the council revealed it had been placed third in the National Youth Agency Audit, which compares Darlington to other local authorities of a similar size.

The news came as the youth service also announced it was proposing to open youth clubs next month and extend a popular bus service.

Darlington's youth service was also criticised after the deaths of schoolboys Stuart Adams, 15, and Lee Mullis, 14, on a railway line in town on Good Friday.

Following their deaths, it was revealed that there was very little for young people to do in the town on Friday nights.

Since then, and after the Ofsted report, the council vowed to improve and is backing The Northern Echo's No Messin' campaign, which aims to highlight the dangers of railway crime while promoting positive activities.

The new audit recognises that last year the youth service made contact with 59 per cent of 11 to 25-year-olds, compared to a Government target of 25 per cent.

The figures put Darlington third in national tables for contacting youngsters aged 11 to 25 years and fourth for contacting 13 to 19-year-olds.

The criteria, defined by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), is a that member of the youth service must have a first-name relationship with a youngster.

Councillor Chris McEwan, the borough council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "Our team is working hard to get to know and to work with young people across the borough to find out what they want and to deliver it."

The Blitz Bus, which operates during the week, is being extended to the weekends.

For the next seven weeks, from 7pm to 9pm, it will visit the Lascelles estate on Fridays, the Longfield estate on Saturdays, the Hurworth Grange Community Centre on Sundays and Heighington village on Mondays.