DOZENS of children benefitted from a community sporting event, aiming to reduce anti-social behaviour.

Families came together on Gladstone Playing Fields in Hawarden, to enjoy the events which included zorb football and an inflatable slide.

PCSO Steph Jones, of the South Flintshire policing team, helped to organise the event, which was held in a bid to reduce the levels of anti-social behaviour in the area.

She told the Leader: "Wales and West provided the funding for today's event and South Flintshire police and Aura in partnership helped manage the event.

"From a policing point of view it's to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area and remove the barriers between young people and police.

"The idea is to show people what the police can do and if they want to get us on side, what we can all do together.

"It has reduced the amount of instances in the area, it's always going to be an issue everywhere but it's nothing like it used to be."

The Leader has previously reported that youths in Hawarden deliberately damaged car park barriers to the Wales and West building in St David’s Park, Ewloe, before being caught and made to compensate the company.

However, Wales and West have decided to donate the £571.99 they received in compensation from the four offenders back into the community.

Wales and West donated the money back to support the initiative, which will keep youngsters engaged through sport.

Chris Moss, school and community sports co-ordinator for Aura, said the event has been running for three years and is a huge success.

He added: "We have done this for three years now and it's a great community engagement event.

"It's great to see families coming along and playing together with their kids.

"Kids get to try different things for free and get the opportunity to use different types of equipment that they wouldn't use all year.

"This is the first year we've had the big inflatable slide and it's been a success.

"It's good to bring the community together."