WHEN DETERMINED mum Leesa Betteridge heard her local youth club was to fold, she made a solemn promise to kids living on her estate.

She vowed to work flat-out to reopen it - and she has now achieved her goal and more.

In the three weeks before she fulfilled her pledge the building stood unguarded - and untouched by a single vandal.

There had been plans to board-up or install grills on the windows of the hall in Townhill Park.

But caretaker Leesa, 36, said it was unnecessary.

"Everyone was very concerned about vandalism once the youth project shut up for good," she said.

"But I told the children 'this is your centre and, if there's any damage, it will prolong the closure'.

"It's absolutely amazing. There was not a single chink in the windows.

"They're all good kids at heart - as long as you're honest with them.

"But if they're bored and have nothing to do they find mischief."

Townhill Park Youth Project, which is affectionately known as "The Zone", has 98 youngsters aged between 11 and 20 on its books.

It was founded eight years ago as a drop-in centre to help counsel youngsters struggling to cope with problems such as teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse.

Over time, the centre adopted the more informal atmosphere of a youth club while still providing the troubled with the chance to talk over any issues affecting them with an objective adult.

Until this year the centre, in Benhams Road, was privately funded.

But, with resources draining away and the lease on the building set to expire in June, the board of trustees decided to make the youth workers redundant and close the club down in March.

And that's the way it probably would have stayed, if it wasn't for determined mum-of-three Leesa.

She had been brought in last September as a fundraiser and office administrator.

Now this spring she's helped spearhead the fight to save the club from closure in an inspirational story which has seen the residents of Townhill Park pull together to make their area a better place.

"I'm just a local mum," said Leesa.

"I'd heard about The Zone for a couple of years and had itchy feet to get in and do something to help.

"When it closed officially at the end of March I was meant to be staying on for a couple of weeks to wind it up.

"But, while I was in the process of doing that, I started to think we could afford to stay."

Leesa approached landlord Southampton City Primary Care Trust and was bowled over when they agreed to help out by covering many of the overheads.

Now all the youth project has to cover itself is the phone bill.

"They've been absolutely superb. I've never met any official body with such an interest in the local community."