YOUNG people are to be given the chance to have their say on crime and anti-social behaviour in a technical consultation exercise run by police.

Pupils at primary schools across Hartlepool will be asked to answer a range of questions with the use of interactive voting technology, which will help to shape the future of policing in the town.

Using a programme similar to that used by Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Cleveland Police Authority will be gauging the opinions and concerns of youngsters in the town.

Chairman Ted Cox said: "It's vital that we gain the views of all sections of the community - especially young people - on what they see as the key priorities and issues which we need to tackle in planning how we develop police services in the future.

"Using the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire equipment helps to make it interesting and entertaining for the children and we are very grateful for the co-operation we have received from the schools in Hartlepool."

The latest initiative by the authority follows on from the consultation that it carried out through the distrib- ution of Council Tax bills across the force area.

More than 1,000 replies indicated that criminal damage, vandalism, drug, alcohol and substance misuse, threats and verbal abuse, robberies, muggings and house burglaries were the main concerns.