Anti-crime messages were delivered by schoolchildren yesterday as part of a challenge set by the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership.

Year seven pupils from Allertonshire School, in Northallerton, staged a number of plays based on various issues, including truancy, arson, hoax emergency calls and drugs.

A panel of judges, including police officers and partnership chairman Dr David Smith, marked each of the five presentations and announced the overall winner.

The winner of the Community Safety Challenge was class 7DS, with its presentation on car crime and the dangers of leaving the keys in the engine. The children who took part in the presentation each received a £10 WHSmith voucher.

Dr Smith presented the class with a shield and thanked all of the children for taking part.