Police in Chiswick have launched a major new initiative to get young people off the streets and involved in sports activities.

Off-duty and retired policemen and women are to set up Community Sports classes at centres in Chiswick in a bid to combat anti-social behaviour including under-age drinking and vandalism. The activities will include boxing for young men, and fitness for young women as well as rugby, football, hockey and Zumba classes.

They have already secured a secondary school venue with space for 200 young people and a disused youth club with space for 75 youngsters and plan to be up and running by August during the summer holidays.

A police spokeperson said over 30,000 magazines would be distributed to Chiswick households in the next few weeks with details of the project.

The police say the activities will be free and open to all young people. They hope to be able to provide cover from 9-9pm and later for older teenagers. If succesful the plan would continue into school terms for after-school hours.

Over 70 successful Police Community Clubs (PCCs) had been set up throughout the UK and have led to a drop in criminal activity, according to the spokeperson. The boxing project has received the support of sportstar Amir Khan.

The police see it as a way of combatting anti-social behaviour being carried out by gangs of bored youths, ranging from drunken behaviour, to breaking into cars or kicking off wing mirrors.

The initiative also involves sending police officers into schools to talk about good citizenship.

"The police volunteers won't be in uniform so there's no risk that a young person would find it difficult", said the spokesperson.

July 26, 2013