THE problems caused by youths throwing missiles at buses on a crime hit estate will be tackled with the help of a £100,000 crime fighting grant from the Government.

The Home Office has picked out Little Hulton as one of five areas throughout the country to benefit from extra funding as a Priority Policing Area.

It means up to £100,000 will be pumped into new initiatives to tackle petty crime and youth nuisance.

As reported in the Bolton Evening News, residents suffered in recent weeks when bus company First were forced to stop their five nightly service because of youths throwing stones and bricks at them on the estate near to Eastham Way.

The scheme will test problem-solving ideas that, if successful, will then be used across Greater Manchester.

Supt Dave Lea of Salford Police said the money was a recognition of the work the police and community workers were already doing.

"I have a high degree of confidence that we will change people's quality of life on the streets in Little Hulton because the foundations are already there. There are early signs of a decline in the community such as an increase in the availability of class A drugs, which links to a rise in crimes like burglary and theft from vehicles, which is against the trend in Salford.

"We have improved our ability to get information from the community and our understanding of that information is greater than it's ever been."

Police have been using high-visibility policing and splitting up large groups of youths and there has already been a reduction in crime. A mobile CCTV unit has also been in operation.

Supt Lea hopes new initiatives will give the youths a focus in life.

He said: "We need to give the youths a sense of purpose. If we don't do that, they will spiral into petty crime and into drugs. What we do has got to be really interesting for them and we are looking at developing sport. To do that, we've got to be out there on the ground."

Salford Council's lead member for crime and disorder, Cllr David Lancaster, said: "The expert advice and support this initiative will bring to Little Hulton will add more power to our crime and disorder reduction partnership.

"It is important to note that this support will add value to the current policing activity in the area and will not result in police resources being diverted from other areas of the division."

The other places to benefit from the Government money are Mansfield, Hastings, Easington and Great Yarmouth.