A POPULAR York youth club is set to reopen, after its leaders were cleared over their handling of a violent incident when they were attacked by young thugs.

Residents in Dringhouses reacted with disbelief when Wendy Barker and Tracey Cunningham were suspended from running the Moly's Kitchen youth group, in Wains Road, after being forced to manhandle a teenager out of the club because of his violent behaviour.

Mrs Barker said they acted in self-defence after being punched and having a metal table thrown at them. The drama unfolded when 15 older teenagers gatecrashed the weekly club and flooded the sports hall by turning on a fire hose. But bosses at City of York Council's youth services suspended the pair - claiming they responded to the "poor behaviour" in "an entirely inappropriate way". The council's strict youth policies state that no leader can handle youngsters in their care in any way.

But bosses say they have spoken to all involved and are happy for the volunteers to continue.

Wendy and Tracey, who founded the club more than three years ago to get local teenagers off the streets, originally vowed never to return in protest at the suspension, but have now been persuaded to reconsider.

"I would consider going back to the club for the sake of the kids," Mrs Barker said.

"We're still waiting to hear from youth services. All we tried to do was make the best out of a bad situation."

Anne Smith, chairman of the Dringhouses Residents' Association, said it was "fantastic news".

"The cooling-off period has helped, but the council has made the right decision. Everyone in this community was behind Wendy and Tracey.

"I'm confident they will go back for the sake of the kids."

Murray Rose, assistant director in the city council's education department, admitted that the volunteers had "found themselves in a difficult situation and had to act to restore order".

He said: "Officers have now met with all of those who were involved with the events which disrupted Moly's Kitchen and we're happy to continue to work with the volunteers. The council's aim has always been to reopen Moly's Kitchen as soon as it is appropriate to do so.

"The activity was suspended temporarily in order to allow the council to meet with the volunteers to identify what steps could be taken to reduce the likelihood of any repeat of the incident.

"The council also tried to meet some of the young people who had been present when the disturbance occurred, with a view to ensuring that when Moly's Kitchen reopened it would not have a repeat of the incident."

Updated: 11:21 Monday, February 23, 2004