FOR once it was time for youngsters to teach the police a lesson – in football.

A match between youths from Pinehurst and local police officers organised by community workers at Swindon Council saw the boys in blue, actually playing in green, go down 8-1.

The event, held at Webbs Wood Stadium, in South Marston, on Saturday, was intended to boost relations between the two groups and was followed by a trophy presentation and post-match refreshment.

Ed Browne, the council’s community development officer for Pinehurst, said the day had been a success.

“It’s been really good,” he said. “Everyone has enjoyed themselves and it was a good natured game. This is the first one but we are looking at doing it more regularly.

“It was really to build the relationship with the police and the younger people in Pinehurst as it can be a bit strained at times.

“I should say thanks to Swindon Supermarine for providing the food and also Capita for sponsoring the game.”

Angie Restorick, police community beat manager for Pinehurst, said she wanted it to become a regular fixture.

She said: “I think it’s a great thing to have and I hope we can make it more regular. It does build the relations between the community and the police.

“It is definitely something that could be done in other areas as well and it would be great if we could do something to bring the different areas together.”

Pinehurst captain Royston Trotman, 19, said: “I think it has been a good thing. Sure, we would play them again – it was easy.”

Regular tri-athlete PC Stephen Yeates offered an excuse for the performance.

“We were just not fit enough,” he said.

Pinehurst is also home to the Twilight Football scheme which sees portable floodlights set up temporarily on The Circle on Fridays to encourage children to take part in a positive, supervised activity rather than potentially cause crime and anti-social behaviour.

The project, run by Swindon Council and Swindon Town Football In The Community Trust, was originally planned to finish after a nine-week stint last month, stop for eight weeks and then restart for nine weeks.

But it has been so well received that Swindon Community Safety Partnership has provided a further £500 to fund sessions during the gap, meaning the project will run for at least 17 weeks.