Police fund youth angling coach to cut crime

PCSO Daryl Holter presented the grant to Pulborough Angling Society's club chairman, Paul Holden

Police are funding an angling coach in an effort to get young people into fishing and away from crime.

Pulborough Angling Society received £280 from Sussex Police which it will use to train the coach.

The money came from the Police Property Act Fund which uses funds generated by the sale of found property, and from property confiscated by order of courts.

The society's chairman Paul Holden says angling improves mental health and wellbeing, and that his fishery does not allow drugs or alcohol, so is “a safe environment for young people to enjoy the sport away from temptation and bad influences”.

'Life-changing benefits'

“We want to encourage more of our local youngsters to take up angling and spend time at our lakes and on our rivers fishing, rather than hanging around on the streets or in the parks when boredom can lead to anti-social behaviour and petty crime,” he said.

The parents of one 15-year-old boy said: "Since getting involved in the club, he has come out of himself, is doing better at school and now lives for fishing. It's changed his life for the better.”

While the parents of another boy, aged 16, said: "He was always hard work, but since he's found fishing with [Pulborough Angling Society], it's really sorted him out.”

Mr Holden says he is planning the next junior day during the school summer holidays in August.

The new coach means a greater number of young people can attend, he added.