Children from Cove and Kilcreggan have bade a fond farewell to the woman behind the local Youth Café.

Young people from throughout the area held a party to say a “huge thank you” to the café’s founder Susie Will before she set off for a move to the Scottish Highlands.

Susie was inspired to open the facility back in 2011 after she noticed there were no spaces for teenagers in the area and since then, the café has been a staple for young people in the villages.

A spokesperson said: “She took over what was the tennis pavilion, in the hope that this would be a fun place for teenagers to come along and socialise.

“Susie more than succeeded and it is testament to her commitment and tenacity that the Youth Cafe has gone from strength to strength.

“The cafe is free for all users, as it was very important to Susie that the Youth Cafe would be available to all children.

“The kids and their parents wanted to extend a huge thank you to Susie for all that she has provided for the kids over the last 13 years and wish her well in her move up north.”

The Youth Café operated three sessions a week under to youth worker John Agnew and provided trips for local children thanks to Susie. 

Among the most notable of those trips was a voyage with the Ocean Youth Trust, which gave young people the opportunity to sail around Scotland’s west coast.

The cafe is currently temporarily closed whilst it is upgraded, but the committee says it hopes to have it open again as soon as possible.