The three-metre shelter in Woodford Halse was put up last Thursday to give teenagers a chance to do their own thing without distracting the rest of the village.

Northamptonshire County Council’s Youth Service worked with young people in the village who came up with the design for the shelter, at Woodford United Football Club in Byfield Road.

Samuel York, 17, one of the young people involved in designing the shelter, said: “It gives us somewhere to hang out and do our thing. It’s near the skate park so it’s a good site for us.

“It’s a cool and a good design. There’s not much to do in Woodford so it will give us something to do.”

Funding for the shelter has come from Northamptonshire County Council’s Community Safety Fund and it has received support from Woodford Halse Parish Council.

Bernadette Rogers, parish council chairman, said: “We are very aware that we can provide clubs and services for younger children but we haven’t got anything for the teenagers in the village.

“This will give them a place to go where they can do what they like.

“I hope it is going to have the impact we want for the village which is to make the community better for everyone living there.”

The youth shelter has also been backed by villagers, who have waited several years for one to be installed.

Graham Ward, from the county council who managed the project to build a youth shelter, said: “I think it will have a really good impact on the village. It is something that has been wanted for a long time.”