Munro pitches in with a call for portable five-a-side

Published on Monday 31 March 2008 10:18

CALLS have been made to move a portable football pitch into areas plagued by troublesome youths.

A five-a-side pitch which folds out the back of a truck has been deployed to the Leith area and already has had a positive impact on the number of calls police receive about anti-social behaviour.

Now a local councillor wants to see the pitch moved into the Newhaven area to see if can help reduce crime there.

Leith councillor Gordon Munro said: "We've seen how well it works in Leith and now I'd like to see it placed in Newhaven for a spell.

"I am a firm believer that the best way to address these issues is to engage with the youngsters and improve relations between them and the police. This pitch is a great way to do that."

Leith police station, which receives an average of 15 calls a night about antisocial behaviour, was called just once on the night the pitch was launched last week.