INDOOR rock climbing, cheerleading and street dancing will be on offer to youngsters at a Sportstart event.

The second Sportstart event of this year will be held at Meadowfield leisure centre, near Durham, on Saturday, October 24, between 5.30pm and 9pm.

The last event, held in July, attracted about 40 teenagers, despite being held during torrential rain.

Sportstart is organised by Durham County Council and Durham City police’s neighbourhood beat team, with others also involved.

PC Phil Boyd said: "Sportstart originated from a desire to address reports of anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance in the communities of Brandon, Meadowfield and Langley Moor.

"With our partner agencies we wanted to find new ways to approach these issues and our aim was to offer an alternative direction for young people in our communities to take. But it has now development into more than that."

Sportstart is free and open to young people aged 11 to 19 from Brandon, Meadowfield, Browney, Brancepeth and Langley Moor.