MINETY Youth Action Group was one of the big winners in a £27,024 grant payout by North Wiltshire District Council last week.

They were awarded £3,000 towards the cost of installing a youth shelter in the village.

Attempted arson at the primary school and a break-in at the tennis courts last year were blamed on youths.

A youth club has now been set up and there have been no major incidents since. But the village has no covered area for teenagers to meet and parish councillor Derek Pitt is leading the group that aims to respond to the needs of the youth.

He said: "The only place the young have got to go is the bus shelter. We had a meeting with them a year ago and this is one of the things they wanted."

The group is still £1,500 short but will be holding a rock concert on Monday at the village hall as a fundraising event.

Malmesbury Rugby Club was awarded £9,745 to resurface and improve the drainage of the cow field they currently use at the Worthies.

The club have raised £7,500 and received £20,000 from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts. They are now just below the £40,000 needed.

The Cartmell Youth Centre was awarded £1,007 to continue running the Fridge after-school club. The money will be added to the £1,129 Wiltshire County Council gave the club this year towards staffing costs.

Youth community worker Hayley Brown said: "We are very pleased. Young people get a lot out of it and it is great it has been going for so long."

An award of £1,317 to Malmesbury Youth Football Club was given to hire Malmesbury School hall for training until March.

St Paul Malmesbury Without Parish Council received £984 for the installation of a bus shelter at Milbourne for school children and £475 for a visitor board displaying local walks.

Other payouts included £9,745 to Dauntsey Community Association towards a new hall for the primary school.

Lea and Claverton Parich Council was given £500 to refurbish a bus shelter at Lea Crescent and Malmesbury Primary School received £250 for a sports week.