HUNDREDS of young mobile phone users are to be engaged in a massive crackdown on crime.

Over the next few weeks, 11,000 pupils throughout the borough will be given the chance to have their phones security marked as part of a new initiative by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to tackle the growing problem of mobile phone thefts.

Under GMP's Operation Hawk, the scheme involves marking the phones with ultra-violet pens and permanent stickers warning they are security marked and traceable.

A code to find out the unique serial number of the phone is keyed into the handset and written on a record card that the owner keeps as part of the GMP Mobile Phone Security Pack. In the event of the phone being stolen, the owner can contact the service provider to cancel the phone immediately.

Pupils at Broad Oak High School in Hazel Avenue, Bury, were the first to benefit from the initiative when it was launched in the borough.

The school, which has banned pupils from bringing mobile phones in during the school day, was actually encouraging pupils to bring their telephones in for marking.

As well as receiving advice on personal security, a number of pupils were trained to security mark mobiles themselves to enable other young users to benefit from the scheme.