A PROJECT aimed at steering young people away from crime while bridging the gap between generations has been launched in Darwen.

The town is only the second in the country to adopt the project, called 'Junior Problem Solving', after it was piloted in Newcastle.

It involves young people who are classed as being on the edge of crime, working with elderly people in their neighbourhood to create a safer environment.

Darwen youth involvement officers PC Vanessa Rushton and PC John Chapman have teamed up with Darwen Moorland High School, Mick Huxley from youth services, Sudellside Community Centre and Youth Works Darwen.

The project received grants from Blackburn with Darwen Community Safety Partnership, Lancashire Partnership Against Crime and the Community Chest.

Part of the project will see 13 youngsters from Sudellside getting to know pensioners who have said they are afraid of going out.

The youths will interview each other and the elderly people at the beginning of the project to find out their views on the problems they face.

At the end of the project they will interview them again to see how well the project has worked in changing perceptions.

PC Rushton said: "It's about empowering young people to take ownership of problems and to give them the skills to be able to solve them.

"We went up to the school and asked if anyone was interested. We then held an open day on July 18 where 13 young people expressed commitment to take part in the project which will run throughout the holidays. We want to break down the barriers between these young people and the elderly. At the moment there's a genuine fear among elderly people and there's a similar intolerance from the young people.

"We are going to be planning a development day where we will take some of the youths and elderly people to the Sea Life Centre in Blackpool, followed by a fish and chip tea.

"We will have a young person and elderly person partnered together to start off the team-building. We've also had some beautiful pot plants donated which the young people are going to plant up and present to the elderly people at Elizabeth House.

"The idea eventually will be to move away from this group, if it works as successfully as it has in Newcastle, and go and work with another group."