YOUTHS in Burnley’s Worsthorne village have been given a number of soft footballs to prevent damge to the village’s shrubs and flowers.

Police decided to hand out the balls after they received many compl-aints from residents about teens damaging Worsthorne Village Square with their footballs.

A number of youngsters have since been taken home by police and had their behaviour reported to their parents and one football has been confiscated.