YOUNGSTERS in a Worcester community finally have somewhere to call their own - a brand new £10,000 youth shelter.
The facility, at The Green Centre in Dines Green, was officially opened yesterday by four children who helped choose it.
Jake Dinsdale, 16, Chris Jones, 15, Fern Nicholls, 15 and Tara Gill, 14, were thrilled to welcome the latest addition to the Gresham Road centre.
Fern said it would stop youngsters loitering around the shops in the area, while Tara added: "It's somewhere to hang around."
PC Julie Merry was the brainchild behind the idea, putting the wheels in motion for the new facility.
"This youth shelter is a godsend," she said.
"When I started local policing in the area last year we had lots of reports of anti-social behaviour from some of the youths in the area.
"They started congregating in the doorway of the Co-op which is just down the road, so with that in mind I had the idea to get them a youth shelter for somewhere for them to go."
West Mercia Constabulary contributed £2,000 for the facility, while Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council each handed over £3,000.
The county council's donation came from the £3,500 allowance - for local youth projects - of St John's Labour Councillor Richard Udall.
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