ANTI-SEMITISM towards Jewish teenagers is on the increase, making it one of their biggest worries, according to a Prestwich-based survey.

Youngsters reported being called names in the street, having stones thrown at them and having to face a group of 60 people shouting racist comments.

Jewish youth workers are worried the figures will keep on soaring and intend to implement educational programmes to try and buck the trend.

The findings are part of a far-reaching survey of young Jewish people conducted by the North Manchester Jewish Youth Project (The Project), which is based in Bury Old Road, Prestwich.

The survey, entitled Through New Eyes and carried out in conjunction with the University of Central Lancashire, includes interviews with more than 500 13 to 18-year-olds from the local Jewish community.

Questionnaires were sent to youngsters last year, 2003, at Bury Grammar School for Boys and Girls, King David High School, Manchester HIgh School for Girls, The Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade, Manchester Grammar School, Whitefield Jewish Youth Centre and Withington High School for Girls.

The results of the questionnaires were compared to a survey conducted by The Project in 1995 called Through Their Eyes.

It was discovered that half the young people (250) recently interviewed had experienced anti-Semitism, compared to one third (166) in 1995.

Anti-Semitism was the second biggest worry of young people, after "the future".

Director of The Project Sharon Bannister, said: "These results are extremely concerning. I wonder if we have learned anything in the past. It is a huge concern as it is a steady rise and, as a result, I dread to think what we are heading for. These statistics show there is an increase in anti-Semitism and that has to be a concern."

Mrs Bannister said The Project was hoping to gain funding to tackle the rise in anti-Semitism by providing programmes to develop young people's self confidence to cope with such incidents and to teach street awareness.

She added: "It's not about how to fight back but how to deal with a situation and how to identify it early. It is also about being proud to be Jewish. Some people cannot cope with being different and we hope to give them the skills to stand up with confidence and say they are different, not worse or better, but different."

The survey also identified a significant rise in teenagers feeling under pressure from their parents to achieve in school, with 41.2 per cent in 2003 compared to 30 per cent in 1995.

The increased pressure resulted in more youngsters wanting to leave home as soon as possible.

"Through New Eyes" was presented to the Limmud Conference at Manchester University, on Sunday (March 21) by Dr Sandi Mann of UCL and Rodney Ross, a youth worker at The Project, and was endorsed by Bury South MP Ivan Lewis who is a patron of the organisation.