Around 250 young Islanders were convicted of violent offences last year.

Around 250 young Islanders were convicted of violent offences last year and it's feared more teenage girls are committing violent acts.

Many are now being helped by a charity called the Hampton Trust, which has launched its successful LINX programme on the Island. The Trust has been working with gangs of young women, aged around 14 to 15 years old, in Southampton and is now replicating the work on the Island thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery.

The Trust has found that many of those committing offences have themselves been victims of domestic violence. Working in partnership with the Island Youth Offending Team, the Trust is training key professionals in how to work with young people and help them develop empathy.

The LINX programme is one of only five in that have been selected from an overall 500 entries for a national Youth Justice Award. A team from the Hampton Trust will attend a gala conference later this month to find out if they have won an award.

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