Children are in the front line of the drugs war. They are targeted by ruthless dealers eager to introduce them to drugs use and get them hooked on a habit which will dominate and undermine their lives, possibly for many years and in some cases only until they are released from it by death.

These people don't just prey on children away from the school premises. They also recruit outside the gates and have been known to employ pupils to act as their inside agents. So it is important that youngsters are made aware, at a relatively early age, of the need to be on their guard and beware of experimenting with substances which might be offered to them.

The Crackdown in Bradford scheme organised by West Yorkshire Police is doing good work in this direction and has also been encouraging teenagers and their parents to report drugs pushers through its Dob a Dealer campaign.

Now it is extending that campaign into schools, starting with Oakbank School in Keighley where staff said they were interested in finding out more.

It is a sensible move. As PC David Brown, schools liaison officer for Keighley Police, says, some pupils might well be aware of which people are dealing in drugs but might not feel able to talk about it to a teacher or parents because of fear of reprisals if what they had done became known.

However, if they learn that they can speak to someone anonymously on the telephone, they might be encouraged to pass on information which could lead to the arrest of people who, collectively, are doing so much harm.