YOUNG people want to shout loud and proud about how much they love their village.

Children from local primary schools in Little Lever are standing up for their area following a series of incidents of anti social behaviour.

They are taking part in a special Little Lever Children Love Little Lever project.

Angela Bogle, headteacher at Mytham Primary School, who is helping to co-ordinate the arts based project, said: “As headteachers we are keenly aware that schools have a responsibility to prepare our children to be good citizens.

"We are also sadly aware that a minority of youths in Little Lever let the community down and that there are continuing concerns about anti social behaviour including abusive language, intimidation and damage to schools, local businesses and community provision. The handful of youths are not representative of young children in general. The majority of them are responsible, polite, hard working and kind hearted.

"We would like to portray this positive image of Little Lever to young people.”

The project was launched this week when 180 children travelled to St Matthew’s CE School. They discussed issues around anti-social behaviour and its impact on their area. Local bobbies were invited to the launch to take questions from the young people.

Children will now design posters to be made up professionally and put on display in the village. .

And now the schools are calling on the whole of the Little Lever community to get involved by helping tackle anti-social behaviour and raise the profile of the project.

Tyler Lovell, aged nine, a pupil at St Matthew’s CE School, said: “This is a good project because it makes us sad when people vandalise things – sometimes you will never get it back.I am happy I helping to make a difference.”

Mason North, aged 10, added: “I don’t understand why people commit anti-social behaviour, we use the parks and we are doing something positive to show it is a minority and that young people are good.”

Local PCSOs Maurice Pennington and Nafisa Chhoangalia also attended.

PCSO Chhoangalia, said: “It is a very small minority committing these anti-social acts. This is an innovative idea which hopefully could be extended to other boroughs.”