Art promotes the message of Respect.

ARTWORK by two Tyneside schoolchildren is to become the inspiration for posters aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour. Emily Knights, 11, from St Bartholomew's Primary, in Longbenton, and Toni Tedesco, also 11, from Forest Hall Primary, picked up prizes in a poster competition organised by North Tyneside Council's Safer Estates Team and the Forest Hall Community Police Team.

Youngsters at both schools were given the task of creating innovative designs that would help get across the message to people not to get involved in anti-social behaviour.

The initiative forms part of North Tyneside Crime and Disorder Reduction and Misuse of Drugs Partnership's Respect campaign, aimed at challenging anti-social behaviour and reducing the fear of crime.

Now elements from the winning designs will be incorporated into posters and displayed throughout the borough's libraries, youth centres and community centres.

Deputy Young Mayor Kyle Myers was on hand to present the winners with their awards. He said: "It was a great privilege for me to present prizes to winners of the poster competition.

"All those who entered did a fantastic job. As well as deterring antisocial behaviour the posters also encourage people to report it.

"The job of the young mayor is to represent 11 to 19-year-olds in North Tyneside and I am delighted that young people have played a part in this worthwhile initiative."

Coun Ian Macaulay, Cabinet member for housing said: "Promoting good behaviour and challenging bad is a key theme of the Respect campaign, and these posters sum this up perfectly.

"Our young people are often unfairly criticised, however these competition entries demonstrate that the vast majority know how to behave."

Inspector Pam Bridges, of Killingworth Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "It's great to get young people involved in helping us to tackle anti-sociabehaviour. This problem isn't something that police or the council alone can solve. We need to involve the whole of the community and I hope these posters will help us get the message across to everyone, young and older in North Tyneside.

Emily Ashton and Lauren McGowan at St Bartholomew's Primary, and Han-nRitson and Charlotte Morris at Forest Hall, were runners-up in the competition.

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POSTER DESIGNS: Toni Tedesco and Emily Knights, both 11, with their winning entries.