Town gets 12 new street pastors

Street pastors are to patrol the streets of a Leicestershire town to help reduce anti-social behaviour.

Twelve Christian volunteers have been trained as street pastors by Leicestershire Police and will walk around parts of Hinckley at weekends.

The idea is that the pastors can offer advice in a non-confrontational way and help cut drink-related violence. They will work between 2230 and 0230 BST.

Insp Martyn Bell said street pastors could provide a calming influence.

"The street pastors are non-confrontational and will talk to people who are in distress to help give them some reassurance," said Insp Bell.

"They will be a calming presence in the town and help us to achieve our priority of reducing town centre anti-social behaviour and violence."

The street pastors in Hinckley will work in uniformed groups of four.

The Ascension Trust, a Christian organisation, started the street pastors scheme in 1993 to help combat the growing amount of anti-social behaviour in towns and cities at weekends.