YOUNGSTERS in Bury will benefit from the expansion of a special mentoring scheme.

Thanks to a £279,924 lottery windfall, Bolton Lads' and Girls' Club's pioneering scheme introduced to Bury can now become permanent.

The initiative, which began in Bury earlier this year, involves mentors and qualified workers meeting once a week with young people aged between 13 and 19 who are at risk of becoming excluded from mainstream society.

The service, which was originally established in the club's base at Bolton, primarily helps young people who are at risk of failing, experiencing problems at home or school, who have appeared in court or are beginning to dabble with drugs. The scheme links the children with one of 90 volunteer adult mentors who offer support and advice on a regular basis. There are also five full-time staff on the project covering Bolton and Bury.

National Charities Lotteries Board bosses confirmed the extra cash is to be pumped into the project over the next three years.

Just four months ago, Sport England handed over a £3.7 million lottery cheque to fund Bolton Lads' and Girls' club's new headquarters.

The grant from the lottery board was the largest Poverty and Disadvantage Award made in the Greater Manchester region in the latest round of pay-outs.

Karen Davies, who has worked on the scheme since its creation, welcomed news of the boost to finances.

She added: "It gives you the feeling of putting something back into the community and helping young people to move on through their life."