Youths to face police - at football

Teenagers from a Staffordshire town will be given the chance to try and out-do the local police in a special football match.

Neighbourhood police officers are organising the football match next month as part of an on-going plan to forge links with local youngsters to try and help to tackle antisocial behaviour. Police are hoping that the match will also highlight to young people some of the facilities that are available for them to use at Rugeley Leisure Centre, Burnthill Lane.

Now the police want local people to attend the match to show their support.

The match will be between five teams, one made up of police officers and four with young people aged between 12 and 16-years-olds from the Pear Tree, Brereton, Springfields and town centre areas.

Pc Wayne Moreton, neighbourhood beat officer for the Pear Tree area said a number of teenagers had already put themselves forward and it was important local people got involved too.

Rugeley Leisure Centre has provided the pitch free of charge for the match and local workers from Staffordshire's Youth Services will be refereeing the match.

The match comes as Rugeley police continue their talks with Cannock Chase Council over a plan to hand-out money-off vouchers for the leisure centre to try and keep youths off the streets.

Inspector Chris Ellerton said: "We hear a lot of the time that young people in Rugeley have not got anything to do but we know that's not the case and hopefully some of the things we are trying to do at the moment will help."

The six-a-side football matches will be held between 10am and midday on Saturday March 1, with trophies being presented to the strongest team.

For more information on the event contact Pc Moreton on 08453 302010.