Security guards keep football players safe

GANG wars have left young people in Hackney so frightened that a dozen security staff and six police officers were needed to patrol the final of a football tournament.

Some teams were driven to the venue by minibus so they did not have to walk through dangerous neighbourhoods.

Fears surrounding the Teenage Kicks football final underline an explosion in "postcode gang wars", according to organisers. Young people are targeted for crossing the road or getting on the wrong bus.

The annual tournament is run by Hackney charity SkyWay but this year numbers were down from about 400 to 330. SkyWay director Gail Mistlin said: "We decided to keep it safe and make sure the people playing enjoy it. We have a security firm and police, and a few teams have asked to be driven to the final."

Friday's final, at Britannia Leisure Centre in Shoreditch, was staffed by 13 security guards and six police officers. Ms Mistlin said: "Young people feel threatened or are threatened if they move into other people's territories. With this tournament these young people cross all those divides to play. The fact we are still able to do that when the culture is still quite scary at times in Hackney is testament to the young people."