THE POWER of football to kick-start young lives is shown in a drop in youth crime, say police.

Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) uses football and its high-profile status to raise awareness of street violence with young people at risk of offending.

Knife crime in Greenwich is down by 28 percent and youth violence by 40 percent from last year which the police say is linked to the joint work with CACT.

The trust runs a Street Violence Ruins Lives campaign and offers football sessions and coaching courses to youngsters in schools and on estates to promote positive behaviour.

The latest figures - comparing April to May 2012 with April to May 2011 - show there were 47 knife crime offences in 2012 compared to 66 in 2011. There were 120 youth violence offences in 2012 which have fallen to 72 this year.

CACT crime reduction manager Nick Darvill said: “Our crime reduction programme continues to make encouraging progress, working in partnership is the key to success and the recent crime figures reassure us that we are all beginning to make at difference.

“CACT works with young people to support them in key areas of their lives and also challenge offending behaviour.

“Young people are taught to take more responsibility for their actions, make better decisions on the streets and realise the implication of joint enterprise."

Greenwich Borough Commander Richard Wood said: “I am really pleased with the joint venture with CACT, which is proving successful.

“However, we won’t be complacent and remain committed to reducing youth violence and engaging with young people.

“We will therefore continue to work with CACT to ensure that young people across the borough of Greenwich stay safe and are diverted from crime.”