A SENIOR police officer has applauded plans by a county council to try and help tearaway teenagers steer clear of crime. Inspector John Maries of Biggleswade police was talking after Bedfordshire County Council revealed it was ploughing £45,000 over the n

A SENIOR police officer has applauded plans by a county council to try and help tearaway teenagers steer clear of crime.

Inspector John Maries of Biggleswade police was talking after Bedfordshire County Council revealed it was ploughing £45,000 over the next two years into trying to get teenagers off the streets and back into education and jobs.

The government funding will be given to the council over a two year period during which the youth offending service will work closely with employers and colleges to try and help young people in the community.

The youth offending service hopes that by offering the backing to employers and colleges, businesses will be encouraged to set up schemes to help young people take up further education and trades.

Once the scheme gets started young people will be encouraged to sign-up employability contracts and then be monitored by the service.

Insp Maries was in full support of the scheme saying: "Anything that encourages people into education and work and off the streets is a step in the right direction that will also push young people away from crime.

"This is a big step in the right direction to find a solution to the problem of unemployed teenagers who hang around the streets with many drifting into petty crime.