PRINCE Charles has ordered his flagship charity to help change the lives of hundreds of Burnley youngsters after making the town his ‘number one priority’.

A new Prince Trust’s campaign follows a challenge laid down by the Prince of Wales after his visit to the town earlier this year.

Now he has put Burnley at the top of his charity’s agenda and is aiming to help the town’s ambitious regeneration programme by supporting 350 youngsters in getting their lives back on track.

Aides said that Prince Charles may return to Burnley in 12 months time for a progress report.

Staff at Burnley’s Prince’s Trust headquarters, in Elm Street, have been tasked with working closely with some of the borough’s most disadvantaged 14 to 25-year-olds, including unemployed and underachieving young people.

The trust hopes to have worked with nearly twice as many young people, in a year, than they ever have before.

Sue Littlefair, the trust’s north west development head, said: “After his visit in February, the prince requested that all his charities pull together to work for Burnley and work with young people.

“It is interesting because he came in February and decided that he wanted to do something and it is now his number one priority.”

The prince has focused his regeneration efforts on deprived parts of the country since a bid to improve Halifax in the 1980s.

He hopes charity workers in Burnley can help out-of-work youngsters, ex-offenders, educational underachievers and people leaving care to improve lives.

The trust already works with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to teach participants about team-building, while other schemes offer loans and grants to entrepreneurial young people for fledgling firms.

Meanwhile, a new initiative, the Jamaal Project, has been established at the Bridge Community Centre in Swinless Street, Thursby Gardens, Burnley, to help young women.

And trust bosses say they are also working closely with organisations such as the North West Development Agency (NWDA), Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Police and Burnley FC to boost the area.

Miss Littlefair added: “We know we can make a difference which is why we run these programmes.

“Some of the young people we help have no money whatsoever.”

Prince Charles’ interest in Burnley stems from a visit in 2005, when he saw first-hand the work being done to regenerate the town.

It was followed by a meeting at Clarence House in December when he quizzed Burnley Council bosses as well as business and charity leaders about progress and possible projects to boost the borough.

Then in February he saw Prince’s Trust projects in Burnley during a visit, including a link-up with the town’s youth theatre for 16 to 19-year-old women.

At the time he described Burnley as a “remarkable town” and added: “Recent years have not been at all kind to Burnley and all sorts of difficulties and challenges are placed in its way.

“But I hope my charities can make what small contribution they can, in partnership with the borough council and the NWDA, in this really crucial project to give, I hope, Burnley the future it deserves.

“And I, for one, look forward to seeing the results of this partnership in the years to come.”

Backing yesterday’s announcement, the town’s MP Kitty Ussher said: “The prince has been a firm supporter of us in making Burnley achieve its potential.

“I welcome his energy and enthusiasm but the proof is in the pudding.”

Will Prince Charles’s support boost the town? Add your comments below.