Plans for a new youth club have split a Selby village - despite kids having to sign a contract promising not to smoke, drink, or take drugs.

Organisers have applied for a £5,000 National Lottery grant to get the Thorpe Willoughby club off the ground, but sceptics fear it will lead to more vandalism at their new £300,000 village hall.

One organiser said the club would be revived after 140 villagers signed a petition. It would get kids off the street and provide them with a "safe haven".

The village's old youth club was wound up after repeated vandal attacks and alleged misuse of drugs and alcohol.

Now every member will have to sign a contract promising not to smoke, drink, or take drugs on the premises.

"We want to prove to the village that youngsters can behave, given a chance," said one mother.

She said that 25 adults were prepared to help run the youth club, which would be open to youngsters in surrounding villages.

Fundraising for equipment would start with two disco evenings at the hall on April 10 and 11.

But pensioner Ken Rhodes, former chairman of the village hall management committee, said: "Youths used to sneak drink and drugs into the old hall, smashing windows if they couldn't get in, and I'm frightened the same thing will happen again.

Updated: 15:03 Tuesday, March 27, 2001