A CYCLE cafe designed by teenagers for a Winchesterbeauty spot appears closer than ever to becoming reality.

These CGI images show how the Handlebar Cafe would sit on the Viaduct Way, between Garnier Road and St Catherine's Hill.

Budding architects as young as 14 have impressed civic chiefs with their scheme, developed over almost a year with charity SPUD Youth, and are close to submitting an early version to city planners.

The two-carriage model is designed to replicate two trains passing on the old railway, making space for a cafe, balcony, outside seating and bike repair shop.

Around 30 representatives from charities, biking groups, colleges and Winchester City Council joined the youngsters at a presentation on Monday to see the proposals, which could also include a new footpath.

SPUD is in talks with several charities about running the cafe as a social enterprise, linking with local colleges and community groups to provide work for young and disadvantaged people.

Mark Drury, director of SPUD Youth, said: "We don't want to do all of this work with all these amazingly talented young people and hand it over to a commercial operator. We want to make sure it involves the community, because it has been created by the community.

"It's looking like it's not a question of if it's going to happen, it feels more at the moment like when it's going to happen.

"I think people have started taking ownership of it themselves locally."

The youngsters said they were inundated with positive comments and offers when they showed off the model at the Winchester Criterium on Sunday.

Nick Tsangaris, studying at Peter Symonds College and formerly of Kings' School, said the project has motivated him to apply for architecture degrees at University College London and Bristol University.

The 17-year-old, of Wheatland Close, Badger Farm, said: "This will basically guarantee me a place in a way, especially if it becomes a real project. That would be incredible, to be able to go to that place and say 'I was part of that'."

Introducing the plans at the exhibition, Nick told guests: "We want it to fit in with nature, so we would look at putting in local plants that are low maintenance and then would fit a aslps to make the hole area seem like it was always there."

SPUD is looking to raise up to £250,000 to fund the build.

The idea's originator, Alex Grice, negotiated a half-price £4,000 deal for the carriage itself, an Eastleigh-built model currently on Dartmoor railway.

Meanwhile, the teenagers have written a 50-page design statement to be submitted to Winchester City Council ahead of a formal planning application.