INSIDE the sunken centre of a busy Broadstone roundabout is a bright new community shelter.

The red and green metal structure can be found under a silver birch tree next to the subway at the top of Lower Blandford Road and seats up to 12 people, away from shops and homes.

The idea is to provide an alternative location for people to meet, after some residents reported concerns to the Safer Neighbourhood Team about large groups of youths.

Officers spoke to local people, businesses and residents’ groups and carried out a survey of 250 youngsters aged 12 to 18 and 69 per cent agreed that a shelter was needed.

The £6,000 cost was funded jointly by Broadstone, Merley and Bearwood Safer Neighbour-hood Team, Poole Housing Partnership and Broadstone Neighbourhood Watch.

“It’s not just for young people, it’s a community shelter,” said Julian McLaughlin, chairman of the Safer Neighbourhood Team panel and head of Borough of Poole’s transportation services. “We want everybody to use it. It’s for all people in the local community.”

Broadstone councillor and neighbourhood watch chairman Roy Godfrey said: “We support the police and we were happy to help them with funding.”

Police Community Support Officer Darren Gravenor of Broadstone and Merley Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “I am really pleased it’s here.

“Hopefully the different age groups will use it.”

Among those at the unveiling of the shelter were pupils of Corfe Hills School: Ruhell Ahmed, 16, of Broad-stone, said: “It’s a really good idea. I believe youths will use it for their benefit. It should help the community out a bit more.”

Olivia Israel, 16, from Wimborne, said: “It will really benefit the community having somewhere to congregate and for the schools around to have somewhere to meet.”