A PREMIER league football club has helped to launch a campaign which aims to steer children away from drugs.

Middlesbrough Football Club is believed to be the first premiership football club to become involved in a drug awareness drive with primary schools.

The Middlesbrough Football Community Project has joined forces with the Teesside Drug Education Team to launch Easy 6 (Empowerment, Attitudes and Skills for year six) - for ten and 11-year-olds.

Primary schoolteacher Julia Campbell and PC Neil Hamilton, of the Drug Education Team have developed a six-week programme that will raise awareness of drug issues for children.

The programme also aims to raise children's confidence and self-esteem.

The idea was piloted in three schools, followed by a training day for 20 schools.

All 20 have asked to run the programme with their respective year groups.

Boro's Community Project will support the programme through health-related games and activities.

Financial backing has been secured through Middlesbrough District Temperance Society.

Simon Richardson, co-ordinator of the Drug Education Team said: "The programme is an excellent example of an effective drug education programme. The support from all the people involved, especially the teachers delivering the programme in school is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with more schools across Teesside on this programme."