An imaginative new scheme to help young people who have got into trouble has been launched.

Otley Community Outreach Ltd is working closely with Otley Rugby Union Club which is letting the project use its facilities at Cross Green, the police and Eastmoor Children's Secure Unit to help excluded or disaffected students and young offenders.

The charity will be exposing the young people referred to it to a whole range of subjects, from IT or other professional skills to climbing, street dancing and graffiti art.

The courses will also focus on helping them deal with subjects like anger management and peer group pressure.

Otley Community Outreach trustee Brian Considine said: "We're trying to give these youngsters a future by giving them some skills, guidance and self-confidence.

"It's trying to avoid people getting ASBOs and going down that route.

"The topics we will cover and teach will involve practical skills they can hopefully progress with towards a trade and getting a job.

"We are running the programme but will be working with lots of different people to achieve this.

"The rugby club is giving its facilities to the project and we'll be using some of the players to teach sporting and fitness skills and to give them someone to look up to."

The charity aims to run five courses a year, starting now with twice-weekly evening classes for older youths.

A second session for 12 to 17-year-olds not currently receiving school education will be run in September.