Youngsters on the course created a back drop for a music event

The course, at Darlington Arts Centre in County Durham, has proved popular with scores of youths in the area.

The week-long course, which costs Darlington Borough Council �2,000, has the backing of former illegal spray painters known as "taggers".

But the Keep Britain Tidy charity has criticised local authorities for "celebrating" graffiti as art.

Kari Vickers, community arts officer with Darlington Borough Council, defended the course.

This has been going on for thousands of years and we're not going to stop it Carrie Vickers Darlington Borough Council

She said: "In some countries in Europe there is some very beautiful graffiti. It's called urban art now.

"We have kids as young as eight who do some super work. One young lad made a giant birthday card for his father.

"We are not encouraging them to put all sorts of obscenities up there."

The course urges about 80 youngsters a time to use their skills in designated places.

Ms Vickers added: "The course has received a very good reception and people are very impressed with the quality of work the young people produce.

"We have recently created a backdrop for a DJ event and you can create scenery with it.

"This has been going on for thousands of years and we're not going to stop it. We just have maybe changed attitudes to it and how we channel it."

Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) has launched a campaign to combat the problem, after criticising councils for not taking enough action against graffiti writers.

KBT research claimed areas were "being held to ransom" by graffiti writers.

While KBT said it could sympathise with councils trying to deal with the problem using limited budgets it criticised those who have set up legitimate graffiti walls.