Football tackling bad behaviour

A scheme in Lincolnshire which claims to have cut anti-social behaviour on Friday nights by up to 65% is being rolled out across the county.

The Fair Play Football League is a joint project between council, police and youth groups in Lincolnshire for 13 to 16-year-olds.

The league aims to reduce anti-social behaviour by giving young people a focus on Friday nights.

The scheme can now be offered across the county thanks to an £80,000 grant.

The money has been awarded by the Safer Stronger Communities Fund.

'Safe and supervised'

"We need things out of hours for kids to stop them getting bored, give them things that they want to do...to get them off the streets and keep them safe and supervised," said Pc Mick Kelly, from Lincolnshire Police's anti-social behaviour unit.

Pc Kelly said the eight-week football courses gave children an incentive to behave.

"We use a points-based reward scheme so they know their behaviour will be monitored for eight weeks and it holds them to account."

Fair Play Football started in 2005 and gives eight groups of 10 youngsters the chance to take part in a league.