A Totton youth club branded noisy by its neighbours is to stay put - for the time being at least.

Totton and Eling Town Council has received several complaints from families living near the popular Junction Road Centre.

The former church hall is open three nights a week - and regularly attracts as many as 70 teenagers.

Residents say the youngsters often make too much noise as they go in and out of the building, only yards from the nearest houses.

Council officers examined the possibility of closing the club and providing the teenagers with an alternative facility at Eling recreation ground.

But the proposal was shelved at a meeting of the amenities committee.

Councillors heard that the scheme would cost £60,000 - twice the amount forecast - and instructed officers to look at other sites in the town.

A new club could be funded by developers' contributions if it was built in West Totton.

But Councillor Sharon Thery said she regretted the possibility that the Junction Road Centre might be axed and replaced by another facility.

"It would be a shame to change things after all the time we have spent getting it going," she said.

Town clerk Derek Biggs stressed that the centre was well run and attracted far fewer complaints than similar facilities in other towns and cities.

He added: "We want to be good neighbours. Youth leaders put effort into trying to ensure that people using the Junction Road Centre are as quiet as possible.

"Teenagers are encouraged not to hang around outside, but we have had one or two complaints from residents.

"The council has a lot of unused space at Eling recreation ground, which is further away from houses than the Junction Road building.

"But the cost of converting the former workshops made the viability of going to Eling somewhat suspect."