THREE young people with learning disabilities have received the Christmas present of a lifetime this week - a house to share in the centre of Ilkley.

Stephen Whiteside, Melanie Wasser and Nick Green, will move into the house, which has been bought after a major fundraising campaign by Churches Together in Ilkley (CTI), at the end of next month.

The project, which began at the start of the year, has raised over £30,000 so far and the sale of the house was officially

completed at the end of last week.

The Reverend Peter Sheasby, of CTI, told the Gazette that the trio, who are all in their

twenties, are delighted to have been chosen to live in the house.

"We met with them three or four weeks ago and showed them around the house. They are looking forward to moving in immensely," he said. "We have got work to do at the moment, decorating and plumbing but the house should be ready for them by the end of January."

The millennium scheme, the brainchild of parishioners at St John's Church, in Ben Rhydding, is intended to give the young people the chance to lead an independent life.

After months of negotiations, the house has been bought by a housing association and the thousands of pounds raised by CTI will go towards bringing the property up to scratch.

"The project has so far been a great success and we would like to thank everyone involved," said the Rev Sheasby.