Youngsters are teeing-off on a course of golf lessons run by North Wales Police to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The scheme gives young people from estates in Llandudno the chance to have free lessons from a professional at the North Wales Golf Club.

Pc Tom Prytherch from North Wales Police is helping to run the scheme.

PC Tom Prytherch

He said: "The idea of this project is to bring youths from local estates into a sport.

"We try to reduce the anti-social behaviour that we are having on the estates and also give the children on the estates an interest."

He added: "It's free of charge. It teaches them to play golf and also gives them some independence.

"Anti-social behaviour is a problem on all the estates.

"Every area has an amount, and with a project like this, I try to reduce anti-social behaviour by giving children another interest."

The project, which is also supported by Communities First, has been running for between three and four months.

Pc Prytherch said it was already proving to be effective.

He added: "It's working at the moment. We've noticed the difference, looking at the statistics."

Youngsters teeing off

One of the youngsters taking part in the course, Luke Regan, said: "(I've been learning) how to chip the ball, the dangers of it and not to hit the ball too hard."

Nathan Blackall added: "Pc Tom Prytherch came to school and he told our class about it.

"(It's) to stop us making trouble on the streets."

Richard Bradbury of North Wales Golf Club, who helps to teach the youngsters, explained that the club's membership had agreed to allow the courses to take place.

He said: "We're very lucky. The members are very accommodating.

"There have been problems on the course and I think they see this as moving us away from that - and moving toward the kids having some future in the game.

He added that some of the youngsters showed real promise: "There is some talent here," he said.

"There are a few lads here who could do rather well."