YOUNGSTERS in Lancaster are telling the police where to go - and being thanked for it.

The teenagers have joined forces with police to establish a pioneering crime prevention panel.

They hold weekly meetings where they are given an insight into police work and asked for their views as to how officers can help people of their age.

The panel is the brainchild of PCs Kath Bromilow and Tim Dodgson as one of a package of local crime prevention measures.

And Pc Bromilow says she is delighted with the contributions the young people are making.

"Young people on the whole get a bad press in society but the majority of them are well behaved and extremely responsible," says PC Bromilow.

"This group definitely fall into the lat-ter category and have been excellent."

Panel members have already helped by handing out leaflets for the Sal's Place domestic abuse support centre in Lancaster and post-coding mobile phones.

Now they are are coming together to agree a number of other useful projects.

"They have been really eager to get involved in any project while at the same time giving us valuable feedback into what young people want from the police," adds Pc Bromilow.