YOUNG offenders will be sent back to the scene of their offences in a pioneering scheme to make the punishment fit the crime.

Teenagers who have vandalised a school or church will be ordered to return and clean it up and do repairs.

It is hoped that by bringing home to the youngsters just what harm their actions cause, it will help to stop them offending again.

At present, young people who are ordered to do community service after being convicted by a court take part in general projects, no matter what crime they committed. Under the new scheme, a teenager who vandalised a building would be sent back to the same property or another in the same area to do work on it.

Most of the young people taking part, aged 11 to 17, have been made the subject of Community Punishment Orders or Youth Justice Orders.

Keith Harper, project manager in Bolton's Youth Offending Team, said: "It is very exciting and will bring up lots of opportunities to get young people into the community.

"Just putting them all on whatever community projects come up isn't really that constructive. It's far better if you can get someone who has caused caused criminal damage clearing up a churchyard or an overgrown area."

A 15-year-old youth from Farnworth who is one of the first people to carry out one of the new orders said: "I can understand the idea of it. If you've done something wrong, you've got to go back and put it right. Then you've paid back your debt and you can get on with things." Mr Harper added: "It will be the whole range of offences from shoplifting to burglary and vandalism.

"But it won't be appropriate for those serving custodial sentences and we'd have to think seriously about sending sexual offenders out into the community. I don't think we would."

Already, 80 offenders have been involved in the Community Reparation Scheme.

Two new workers have been employed to co-ordinate the scheme, which is a partnership between the Youth Offending Team and the Probation Service.

Paul Daley is community services supervisor and Frank Nolan is community reparation supervisor. Mr Nolan said: "The scheme will be aimed at each individual. We are going to try our best to get as many projects as possible going so that we can match them as closely as we can to the crime.

He said he was also hoping to establish links with industry as another aim of the project was to get youngsters into work.

Cllr John Byrne, Bolton Council's executive member for economic development and housing strategy, said: "This innovative scheme has many benefits.

"It is encouraging offenders to take responsibility for their actions and put something back into the communities that have suffered.

"But it is also offering them an opportunity to train for vocational qualifications and make a fresh start in life. Ultimately, we hope that it will reduce re-offending rates."