VILLAGERS looking for a way to keep teenagers off the streets have turned to a successful scheme in Charford for inspiration.

Stoke Prior parish councillor Elaine Shannon and her husband, Sean, have visited the youth group based at South Bromsgrove High School, in Charford Road, which has helped to dramatically reduce the number of police calls in the area.

The group, run by volunteer Debbie Roberts, has been such a success that the Community Safety Partnership, which involves services such as Bromsgrove District Council and the police, is expected to award it a £1,200 grant to continue its work.

Mr and Mrs Shannon, who have been pushing for youth services in the village for several years, hope to forge a link with the Charford group, supported by the Multi Agency Resource Centre, in Humphrey Avenue.

Mr Shannon, of Stoke Prior, said: "It is a role model and is successful, particularly with the young people who have been banned from other places.

"There are some lads who will be very difficult, disruptive and badly behaved.

"Most groups have to ban them to save the club."

The couple are looking at a number of options for setting up a youth group, including getting the mobile youth centre, owned by Worcestershire County Council, into the village.

Mr Shannon said the £30,000 facility was currently "mothballed" at the Ryland Centre, in Bromsgrove, and was not well used.