A DELEGATION from South Africa visited Bromsgrove to see for itself a tag rugby project aimed at reducing anti social behaviour.

Representatives of the South African Rugby Football Union and Tag SA paid a two-day visit to West Mercia Constabulary on Monday and Tuesday.

The first day was spent at force headquarters, where the delegation met Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens, and watched a session in which 28 police and community support officers from local policing teams are trained as coaches.

The morning of the second day included a visit to Charford First School in Bromsgrove, with Inspector Dave Shaw, Chief Inspector Tony Love, and Mr Edens, where they watched PC Louise Smith and CSO Richard Spillane lead a coaching session for pupils.

In the afternoon the group moved on to Redditch, where they visited the North East sector office in the Winyates Centre to discuss how tag rugby is being used to divert young people away from anti social behaviour.

They then watched a tag rugby session run by CSOs Jon Duggins and Jen Blackburn at Arrow Vale Sports Centre for children from Winyates, Church Hill and Matchborough.

Under the new initiative, police in North Worcestershire are running tag rugby sessions as an extra-curricular activity in schools for eight to 12-year-olds, as well as organising after school and evening games in areas where youth crime is a problem.

The project, which is being run in conjunction with West Mercia Tag Rugby Project, the Rugby Football Union and the charity Child Victims of Crime, aims to give young people something to do and help the police to build better relationships with them.

Pictured: South African Rugby Football Union and Tag SA representitives Rob Macdonald (back left) and Stuart McConnell (back right). West Mercia Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens (back centre). Front left to right - Community Support Officer Richard Spillane, Harry Taylor,aged eight, Ellie Rolfe, aged eight, and PC Louise Smith.