HUNDREDS of teen-agers will swap the kerbside for the pitch side at a city-wide community football match.

Police are organising a six-a-side football tournament to inspire more young people to turn their informal street kickabouts into proper football training.

They hope it will give them a focus, keep them off the streets and steer them away from antisocial behaviour.

Pc Dan Godden, who is organising the event with city centre officer Pc Paul Philips and PCSO Torran O’Dowda, said: “There are lots of teenagers that kick balls out on the street and local residents see it. It’s quite a problem in a lot of residential areas.

“We get people call in and say they are intimidated by lads kicking the balls around.”

Pc Godden said it was a particular issue outside the Atkyns Road shops in Wood Farm where he is a neighbourhood officer.

He said other areas, such as Barton, had similar issues.

He said: “Even when the shops are closed they tend to hang around because the shops are lit and the focal point of the community.”

Pc Godden organised similar events in Barton and Wood Farm last year and in 2009. He said: “We found lots of them went on to join clubs and we saw fewer of them on the street so it did have a positive influence.

“It gives them a bit of discipline so we decided to make it bigger for the whole city. We want to try to get more of them into local teams.”

Pcso O’Dowda said: “It’s about improving relationships between the police and teenagers and to stop them getting involved in crime.”

The weekendlong tournament will take place on May 14 and 15 at Cowley Marsh Park and is expected to attract more than 250 youngsters.

Games will be grouped for 12- to 13-year-olds, 14- to 15-year-olds and 16- to 19-year-olds, and police are hoping to arrange a team to play against the oldest age group, along with the fire service and paramedics.

Oxford City Council and Oxford City and United football clubs are backing the event alongside the Oxfordshire Football Association.

Sue Holden, secretary of the Barton Community Ass-ociation, said: “It shows the police being proactive and not reactive.”

Youth worker Rory Campbell, 27, of Mole Place, Greater Leys, said: “It’s good for people to get together and do something they enjoy.”

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk Anyone who wants to take part in the tournament should email communityfootballevent@ thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk