A boxing youth worker has been drafted in to work with a town's troublesome teenagers.

In what is thought to be the first move of its kind in the country, Mark Hudson, pictured, a YMCA youth worker, has been contracted by Bradford Council's anti-social behaviour team on a six-month secondment to work with six youths from Silsden.

Five are on acceptable behaviour contracts (ABC) -- written agreements between the police and youths that they will behave themselves -- and one is on an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) warning notice -- the last chance before an ASBO is imposed.

For the project, funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund in partnership with Bradford District Safer Communities Partnership, Mark has been tasked with trying to prevent these warnings becoming more serious ASBOs, which can lead to a criminal conviction and record.

The 29-year-old said: "I've been a bad lad myself. I grew up in West Bowling, in Bradford, where you've got to learn how to look after yourself. I got into loads of fights and trouble."

At the age of 11, after encouragement from his own youth worker, he took up boxing in a bid to get on the straight and narrow.

"I really looked up to my youth worker. He showed me my options and the right and wrong roads I could go down," he said.

Mark, known to friends as Scuddy for his Scud missile-like speed and precision, hangs about with the youngsters and talks to them on a one-to-one basis. He brings his own experiences of when he was a teenager, making it easier for them to relate to him.

Mark has secured a weekly spot in Silsden Town Hall to meet with the youths. He hopes they will bring with them ideas of things to keep them occupied.

"I wanted to get them a base where they could hang out and relax instead of standing on street corners in gangs," he said.

As well as YMCA youth work, Mark, who lives in Wibsey, Bradford, teaches youngsters how to box. He also helps friends with their sparring in preparation for organised bouts.

He said if the Silsden group expressed an interest in boxing he would try to arrange a mini-bus to take them to the gym.

Mark's methods with teenagers have already brought positive results. Last year he was contracted to work with youths on ASBOs in Great Horton, Bradford. Now many of them are enrolled on Prince's Trust courses.

Bernie Gahan, programme manager for the YMCA in Bradford, said she was thrilled with his progress. She said: "As far as I'm aware it's the only piece of work of this kind being done in the country. Mark is going in as low-level intervention. He's treading a fine line between keeping the youngsters happy with his company and challenging them at appropriate times. He can't be nagging them all the time because it won't work."

Though he has no actual powers, she said his techniques were very effective.

She added: "I did an observation of Mark with the kids in Silsden and I was very impressed. They are genuinely pleased to see him. One of them is already hoping to start the Prince's Trust team programme next week.

"But I don't want people to think Mark can perform miracles. It's a long process and it's going to take a long time to effect a long-lasting change in young people."

Community constable PC Craig Stothers said the work being done by Mark was already having an effect in Silsden.

"It's so far appearing to be make a difference. We have certainly had less calls about anti-social behaviour," he said.

Opinion page 8