A Stafford Councillor has this week appealed for youngsters to come forward and join a new youth club that is being established in Haughton.

Barry Stamp, the Borough and County Councillor made the appeal following a disappointing start to the new youth club he has helped to fund by a contribution from his County Council Local Members' Initiative money.

"Over the past few weeks, the County Council's Youth Service Information Bus has been visiting Haughton in an attempt to make contact with local youngsters. The aim of these visits is to try to arrange some form of youth club or other less formal youth activities. Unfortunately the response from the young people has been rather disappointing. For some time there have been many complaints that there is nothing in the village for youngsters to do, but unless the youngsters come forward and tell the youth workers what they would like nothing will happen. I would appeal to local youngsters, or their parents, to keep an eye open for the next visit of the Youth Service Bus and drop in for a chat. Alternatively, I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has ideas about how this project can be taken forward. As the County Councillor for the Village, I was pleased to recommend that some money be made available to fund this project and I would now hate to see it fail through lack of support. In all the other villages around Haughton youth clubs and youth activities run successfully, so I cannot see why this village should be any different. This is a golden opportunity to get similar facilities up and running in Haughton. If we miss the boat this time, it could be years before funding becomes available again," said Cllr Stamp.