A BID to increase the number of youngsters attending youth club sessions in Williton is underway after funding was secured to keep the facility open for at least another year.

Williton and neighbouring Watchet were each awarded £3,370 from Somerset County Council earlier this year to cover the cost of staffing a weekly session until next September.

But this week Williton Parish Council, which administers the funding and is about to sign a new agreement with Minehead EYE, which runs the club sessions, said it wanted to see the facility used by more young people.

Cllr Jenny Koch said there was a need to promote the club more widely as conversations with a group of local youngsters recently had revealed they did not know when or where the sessions were held.

Currently the girls' club meets on a Wednesday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in the children's centre in Killick Way, with the boys meeting in the village's fire station on Fridays at 6pm.

Both sessions are aimed at children aged up to 13 years.

But the clubs are due to merge with a single session at a new venue at Danesfield Middle School after the half-term break.

Cllr Rosemary Woods told the council's monthly meeting on Monday that she was concerned that not enough children were being catered for and feared the children were being "cherry picked."

"We should definitely monitor the numbers attending when the club moves to the school," she said.

Cllr Bill Vaughan said it appeared about 20 children were currently attending - double the number at the same time last year.

Cllr Heather Beaver said the new venue - a dedicated room at the school - was looking good.

But she said none of the youth workers wanted "the disruptive element" amongst local youngsters to attend as this would give the club a bad name.

But Cllr Woods said she felt if the club was only attracting 20 youngsters, it was not reaching the range of children in the village.

Councillors agreed more publicity was needed to ensure local children were aware of the activities on offer.

Details of the sessions at Danesfield will be available from the parish office on 01984 633979 at the beginning of November.

Meanwhile the council has agreed to sponsor Williton Cubs up to £500 to fund the cost of five 'pop-up' tents, an oven and a couple of gas burners.

Cllr Vaughan said he believed the financial support was worth it to help the group - which currently has 14 members - to get up and running.