A PROJECT aimed at tackling teenage boredom and anti-social behaviour in Norton has been declared a resounding success.

The scheme, which involved young people become becoming involved in photography and video-making, has been so successful that a display of the young people's work is being set up in the town.

Digital photographs and videos were taken by a group of 14 to 16-year-olds who regularly congregate at King George's Fields, Norton.

The area has a history of complaints from residents about rowdy and disruptive youngsters.

Earlier this year, a team of North Yorkshire County Council youth workers from Connecting Youth Culture (CYC) forged links with the group.

Norton Mayor Keith Mennell said the team had done a fantastic job inspiring the children to work on the ground-breaking project.

Coun Mennell said: "All this started off from the residents' point of view because of the nuisance factor. There were all sorts of accusations about what was going on there when the youngsters were gathering."

CYC worked in partnership with Ryedale District Council to alleviate boredom and provide a focal point for the children gathering at the fields.

A specially-designed lorry packed with digital camera equipment was brought in by CYC.

The vehicle even came equipped with its own dark-room to develop traditional photographs with artist and photographer Tessa Bunney.

The photography project ran over five days in April, although CYC workers are involved in ongoing work at the site.

A preview evening of the work was held at The Cybercafe, in Yorkersgate, Malton, this week.

Digital photographer Lewis Hardy, who worked on the innovative project, said they had to build up trust before they could begin.

He said: "They were quite wary, so the youth workers had quite a difficult job at first.

"But when they got to know us, they loved taking the pictures. Everyone really took to all the equipment we brought on the van.

"What comes across on a lot of the work is the energy and enthusiasm."

Anna Richards, community safety co-ordinator at Ryedale District Council, said the project had been a positive step, providing a focus for the young people involved.

Nineteen children were involved from the beginning, although youth worker Paula Taylor said sometimes up to 30 young people were working on the project.

Updated: 08:47 Thursday, November 22, 2001