COMPUTER savvy youngsters helped older novices get to grips with IT at a special session.

Teenagers from New College Durham gave their time to Cestria Community Housing’s Online Owls project, which aims to help people in Chester-le-Street learn how to use computers.

The ‘Techy Tea Party’ provided one-to-one tuition on downloading, tweeting and surfing the Internet from the students, who are studying for their BTEC Level 3 Information Computer Technology.

Paul Bainbridge, ICT Projects Officer for Cestria Housing, said: “Online Owls is proving a great success and the feedback from local residents at this latest event was really positive.

“The students from New College Durham were fantastic – they have grown up using the internet and were able to share their knowledge with an older generation, which was great to see.

"One-to-one time is so important in understanding computers and the internet, and we wouldn’t hesitate to work with the college again in the future.”

Online Owls started in December with £9,500 from the Big Lottery Fund and support from organisations including the Durham County Cricket Foundation and the Foundation of Light.

It is for anyone in the Chester-le-Street area. To find out about future courses and events call 0191- 3851436 or e-mail onlineowls@cestria.org or visit www.onlineowls.co.uk