A GROUP of Malton youngsters are taking part in a project to support their community.

Led by North Yorkshire Police, the Lifestyle Challenge runs over the summer holidays and aims to give young people, aged 10 to 17, a positive project to do.

Teams come up with an idea and they have until the first week of September to work on their project, recording all they do in a log book. Their work is then submitted for judging, with the winners attending an awards ceremony at York Racecourse in November.

The Malton team of Harry Dawkins, Charlie Statham, Dominic Brambles and Kyle Cass, who are all 13, are tidying up Broughton Dips, just outside the town, so they can use it to go mountain biking

PC Jane Jones, who has been working with the youngsters, said: “The boys use the dips to go mountain biking. It has ramps that they like jumping over, but it has become over grown in certain place so they are cutting back some of the nettles, picking up the litter, and going to try to make some better ramps.

“It’s a pleasure that the group of boys are willing to volunteer and help tidy up the area and hopefully if they do a good job they could win the competition.”

The project is being supported by the Fitzwilliam Malton Estate.

Manager Helen Barry said: “It was a pleasure to spend some time with the group. I really admire the motivation of this group of young people who are prepared to give up their free time in the summer holidays for the benefit of the community.”