The £5million Blackburn Youth Zone is much, much more than a mere building scheme.

It is one of the most exciting projects for generations.

Yes, an outstanding sports facility will be provided for our youngsters and crucially it will be in the middle of town.

But it is so much more than that.

The club will have highly-trained mentors who will help sometimes-troubled youths from all kinds of backgrounds achieve, grow and enjoy themselves without falling victim to other temptations and lifestyles which can so easily wreck lives.

To see the Bolton club is to witness a miracle in action: a team of full-time youth workers changing hundreds of young lives for the better.

Very few projects have the potential to be able to do that.

The Blackburn Youth Zone also has the capacity to bring races together and create a unifying force at the very centre of the town.

At the head of the project is a dynamic team of people, led by Andrew Graham, who have come a very long way in a comparatively short time.

Their efforts need to be supported by everyone in Blackburn.