YOUNGSTERS on King Arthur's Way and surrounds now have a new youth centre at Blenheim Hall, thanks to Test Valley Borough Council listening to what theywant.

The centre offers a place to meet, find advice and information and enjoy activities such as pool, darts and table tennis. The project has been developed by the council in a pioneering partnership with Hampshire Youth Services.

The latter offers qualified youth workers while the local authority helps out with running costs and activities.

Attendance figures show the project has hit the mark with youngsters. Sally Innes, lead youth worker said: "The response has been overwhelming. Initially, the youth centre was aimed at 12 to 16-year-olds but it has proved to be so popular we have now had to set an age limit of 14 to 16.

It's a shame we can't accommodate everyone but we are looking into the possibility of providing an evening for the younger age group."

The idea for it started when the local authority and the youth service met with youngsters who complained they had nowhere to go in the evenings.

They asked for a youth club at the hall. Over the past year the two organisations have worked hard to secure funding. Lynn Gibson of Test Valley council said: "Services for young people are improving, thanks in part to the fantastic partnership between the youth service and the council. It is great to see a project that has been planned for over a year being so popular with local young people."