Contact the Telegraph
Send us your news tips, photos and videos Text LT and your message to 80360 or click here for more ways to contact us »
REGISTER NOW TO POST YOUR COMMENTS ON THESE STORIES
It's free and only takes a few seconds. Click here to go to the registration page.
Rossendale Police hand out free footballs to cut nuisance
10:50pm Friday 29th August 2008
By Helen Korn »
SPONGE footballs are being given out to children to combat nuisance caused by soccer being played in the street.
The footballs will be distributed across Rossendale to residents who are irritated by the noise and damage caused by footballs being kicked around the streets.
PC Phil Buck and PCSO Christine Longworth had the idea when they received complaints from residents in the Valley.
They secured funding from the constabulary’s cash confiscated from crooks in the county to pay for the scheme.
The foam footballs are lightweight and will not cause as much noise or damage if they hit cars or windows.
It is also hoped that by giving out the balls, it will help to break down barriers between the youths and police and improve relationships in the community.
PC Buck said: “This is a positive step to give kids something to do while removing any perceived nuisance connected with playing football in the streets.
“We don’t want kids to think we are just confiscating their footballs for no good reason - but they can be perceived as a nuisance.
“One poor pass or a bad shot and they can cause dents in cars, broken windows and wrecked shrubs!
“We do want kids to play out and have fun - so we hope they will use these new footballs to take their neighbours’ feelings into account!”
The footballs are the same size as ordinary ones, but very lightweight.
Police have 40 balls, which have cost £5 each.
They have been funded from money collected from the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The Proceeds of Crime Act provides powers for police and customs officers to seize and then apply for the forfeiture of cash which is or represents property obtained illegally.
Rossendale Police has also purchased UV marker pens to hand out to the community and for new street signs.
Your Say YourTelegraph
poohsie, Haslingden says...
6:10pm Sat 30 Aug 08
CAPTAIN JAMES T KIRK, USS ENTERPRISE says...
11:21am Thu 27 Nov 08
stardate 27/11/08
planet earth.
Just a little tip for anyone with nuisance kids outside their house playing football.
My sister was having similar problems with kids booting the football against the side of the house at all times of the day ( she works nights so needs to sleep during the day)
She tried politely asking the lads and explaining why she needs to sleep but still they carried on.
She tried phoning the police (waste of time)
Next she tried squirting them with the hosepipe but the lads fathers came round and threatened her ( she is a single mum so no husband to protect her)
Finally she resorted to collecting her dogs sh1te and depositing it around the side of her house where they played.
Result they moved on somewhere else.
single mum 1
dickheads and their parents 0
Now i know its not very nice to have to resort to this type of thing but after trying everything else available it was the last straw.
Scottie beam me up.
Your sayYourTelegraph
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Lancashire Telegraph account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
In this section
- Ambitious ice rink plan for dilapidated Rawtenstall community centre
- Rawtenstall man 'had 11,000 indecent images of children hidden under floorboards'
- 'East Lancashire lovers killed husband with butcher's knife'
- Bacup's faulty Christmas lights defended by council
- East Lancashire businesses keeping upbeat despite credit crunch
- Sophie Lancaster’s memory lives on at concert by The Damned
- Lancashire cop in New Scotland Yard hot-seat
- 30 drivers stopped in Rossendale speed checks
Sponsored Links
Latest blogs and columns
Strictly Come Dancing blog: Week eleven
DANCE teacher Graham Vernon, from Samlesbury, gives his verdict on the eleventh episode of Strictly Come Dancing.
Pubs are going the way of other traditions
Margo Grimshaw column: The pub. My local. Whatever we called it, it was there – a place to meet, to chat, to see old friends, to make new friends, to argue, to debate, to let off steam, to blame the government, the council, or all the faceless ones, or maybe just to sit and watch other people.
Making a real difference
Lancashire Telegraph comment: It’s hard to think of anyone who would disagree with the Bishop of Blackburn when he asks how ‘fat cat’ city financiers, who have had to be bailed out by taxpayers, can continue to draw bonuses.
Enjoy Christmas with a crunch
Caroline Dutton column: You know what? It's almost been worth downgrading to Smart Price for the weekly shop just for the effect this recession (nee credit crunch) has had on Christmas silliness.
If we’re ‘wired’ to believe in God, where does it all go wrong?
Rev Kevin Logan column: We’re born to believe in God. That’s how we’re hard wired; the natural default position.
Winter wildlife by the river
Ron Freethy's nature column: There is a circular walk which follows the River Wenning at Hornby to a point where it meets the River Lune.
The questions all men must ask themselves
Helen Mead column: What to buy the man in your life for Christmas? For me, the socks/cheap aftershave dilemma never fails to put a damper on what is meant to be a jolly time of year.
Time to have an inquiry
Lancashire Telegraph comment: THE saga over the axing of Burnley’s A&E department goes on.
The changing role of the local bobby
Harry Nuttall column: How well do YOU know your local bobby, or Community Beat Manager as he — or she — is called in these politically correct times?
Making yobs see sense
Lancashire Telegraph comment: Firefighters regularly put their lives on the line to save the rest of us from death, injury and potentially devastating loss of property.
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
blackburner, blackburn says...
10:10am Sat 30 Aug 08
these balls dont make as much noise as proper footballs, err, they are made of sponge, you couldn't make it up
whats next? free -plastic- explosives, for asian terror suspects, or can i not say that,