Police community support officer Mark Flannery, who patrols the Hall i' th' Wood estate, says the Kickz project has been a resounding success.

He drops in at least once a week.

"The Kickz project has been really beneficial for us as it helps break down the barriers between us and the kids on the estate," he said.

"Before the project started, the kids used to hang around on the estate in groups and although they might not have been causing trouble they looked as though they might.

"The hardest bit is trying to get them to come down to the centre, but once they come they love it.

"There are many structured sporting activities as well as educational topics such as moral guidance, anti-drugs messages, sexual health and information about drinking, but they are not delivered in the traditional way like in a classroom."

He added: "I have got to know the young people and they now see me as a person and not just as a uniform.

"When the kids are attending the sessions the Hall i' th' Wood estate is almost like a ghost town. There are still a few who want to cause trouble, but most of them respond to the stimulation on offer and many enjoy it because of the attention they receive.

"The majority of the kids would wander about on the estate because they had nothing to focus on.

"The Kickz project is a fantastic scheme and since it started crime and anti-social levels have gone down by about one third."

Astley Bridge area sergeant John Boyce said: "This scheme is ideal and has really benefited the community.

"It is a challenging area with some social deprivation and it is just the kind of area that needs something like Kickz.

"Sometimes youngsters view the police as the bad boys as we are always moving them on when we get complaints.

"Often they will say to us Where can we go?' and we can now say come down to the club where there's lots on offer'. We have a regular police presence there and we feel it is an excellent facility."