Star players at Middlesbrough Football Club have congratulated a team of local youngsters trying their hand first time at journalism.

And the youngsters were treated to a special reception to celebrate ending their weeks of work to produce a new publication, which takes a peep into the world of Middlesbrough FC and the Evening Gazette.

Pupils helped produce the newspaper which was handed out to fans at Boro's home match against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The newspaper, aptly named Read@theRiverside, is the result of collaboration between the Evening Gazette's Community Classroom and the football club.

The youngsters, aged ten to 12, attended after-school clubs at the Gazette and football club to produce the newspaper.

They interviewed Evening Gazette sports reporter Philip Tallentire, photographer Michelle Maddison and Suzanne Witherington from the advertising department as well as players and staff at the club.

They were also taken on tours around the Evening Gazette buildings on Borough Road and the Riverside Stadium.

Plans are in place to produce a new edition of the newspaper every eight to ten weeks, which will handed out at Boro home games.

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