YOUNGSTERS are being challenged to throw themselves into worthwhile projects this summer - with prizes up for grabs.

North Yorkshire Police’s Lifestyle Challenge runs over the summer holidays and aims to encourage young people to get involved in supporting their community by working in teams to benefit others.

The project is open to children, aged 10 to 17, in York and North Yorkshire.

Some of last year’s projects included children helping older people by designing a colourful, beach-themed garden and raising money for plants, holding a swing-themed afternoon for a local care home.

Another group aimed to help elderly residents 'beat the heat', with a campaign to supply water during hot weather.

Other groups completed a scooter ride to raise money for a play park, conducted a litter pick and cleaned up a skate park, collected for foodbanks and collected bags of household items and clothing for donation to local charity shops, and made bird and hedgehog boxes and set up dementia support groups.

Sergeant Neil Northend said: “The Lifestyle Challenge is a productive, fun and rewarding way to spend the summer holiday and, as we see every year, has some genuinely inspirational results.

“It’s clear that these projects benefit not only young people, by giving them an activity to get stuck into over the summer holidays, but also our communities as well.

"Lifestyle is now in its seventh year, and I’m sure 2019 is going to be a great one - everyone here at North Yorkshire Police is looking forward to seeing the results.”

Last year’s winners attended an activity holiday at Bewerley Park in April 2019, spending a week canoeing, zip-wiring, orienteering and mountain-biking.

Prizes are also available to runners-up.

Teams have until the first week of September to work on their project, recording all they do in a log book, which is then submitted for judging, with the winners attending an awards ceremony at York Racecourse in November to receive their prizes.

For details or to take part, visit northyorkshire.police.uk/lifestyle