The Manchester Evening News has received Government praise for its battle against ‘mob culture’ – but a new survey reveals there is still much to do.

Home Secretary Jack Straw congratulated the newspaper for making communities aware of young menaces by naming and shaming trouble makers.

“I welcome the MEN campaign on young troublemakers,” he said.

“We introduced anti-social behaviour orders to give power back to law-abiding communities and I am pleased that Manchester is one of those areas leading the way in using them.”

But whilst the Evening News soaks up the praise, the paper has signalled its intentions to make Manchester a safer place by conducting a major study of schoolchildren.

And the findings gave some interesting insights into the lives of teenagers in the city.

Out of 3,000 schoolchildren surveyed, one in three admitted spending most of their time loitering by the roadside.

And one fifth of 15-16 year-olds admitted to taking illegal drugs.

And traditionally wholesome pursuits such as scouts, youth clubs and sports clubs appeal only to a minority of children.

The survey also revealed a generation whose lives are dominated by television rather than conversation and magazines rather than books.

The MEN says that the presence of young people on the streets is creating an atmosphere of tension and fear amongst older residents.

Police receive an average of 200 calls every day about teenagers hanging around street corners and in the last year have had 85,428 complaints.

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