A SOUTHAMPTON youth project that has scooped a £1,000 national award for its work in tackling antisocial behaviour in the city has been praised by civic chiefs.

Members of the Freemantle Youth Project attended a reception recognising their achievements in the Mayor's Parlour at the Civic Centre.

The project was one of 30 winners out of a nationwide entry of 500 to have won Home Office recognition for its work.

Southampton City Council's anti- social behaviour team backed by Hampshire Police nominated the project for the Home Office's prestigious "Taking A Stand" award last year.

The awards recognise the work of individuals, local groups or projects that have taken a stand against antisocial behaviour.

After working with the council's public arts officer in 2002, young people from the project discovered that some local residents felt their presence in a local park was disruptive.

They were often blamed for problems of vandalism and noise and making the park a "no-go area" at night.

Residents and youngsters proposed a simple but ambitious solution to the problem - to improve the quality of the environment and design and build a pavilion that the whole community would want to use, which would replace a former youth shelter.