WHEN Blackburn man Stephen Jepson saw children hanging around on street corners he wasn't prepared to turn a blind eye.

As a father-of-three, he was all too aware of the dangers of boredom turning to petty crime.

After moving to Glenfield Close in Little Harwood in 1997, Stephen was determined that families on the estate would live in a community where people felt safe.

Now 47-year-old Stephen is chairman and founder of the Glenfield Playsafe Group on the 68-house close, which is owned and managed by housing organisation Space.

Stephen, who is a full-time carer for his disabled wife, said: "I feel sorry for children today -- the minority give the majority a bad name. It's important to catch children while they are young and we've all got a responsibility to show youngsters that there's an alternative to crime.

"Now the estate has a definite community spirit. People don't want to live in a fortress and should feel safe and secure. That's what we're working towards.

"We're planning all kinds of trips for the kids, including one to Camelot in May and a street party in August. It's the dedication of our 10-strong committee that helps to make this possible."

Space chief executive Stephen Reuben added: "It's people like Stephen Jepson that make the difference, helping to link families and create a community spirit."