A NEW youth group is being established in a forgotten' area of Burnley thanks to a community grant.

Officials behind the Healey Wood Community and Residents' Association are celebrating the £6,102 they have received from the Community Foundation for Merseyside, which also oversees grants for the Lancashire area.

The cash boost will be used to provide a host of equipment for the association's fledgling youth club, including arts and craft materials, a pool table, table tennis table, table football, DJ mixing decks, two PCs, a Play Station 2, high definition TV and a number of board games.

It will also help to fund youth workers posts until the end of January and assist with the running costs for the three times a week venture.

A Healey Wood residents' spokesman said: "Since being awarded the money, more than 40 young people have enjoyed the new facilities, based at the former Healey Wood Infant School on Healey Wood Road, which is now owned by the Community Alliance "The youth group brings much-needed boost to an area of Burnley that has long been left out when it comes to provision of facilities for all ages."

The sessions are run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm for under 13s and on Fridays, for over 13s, from 7pm to 9pm.