Youngsters on the wrong side of the law or at risk of exclusion have been having judo lessons to help teach them discipline.

The 12-week sessions for the Fighting Chance Inclusion Programme finished this week and were run for eight to 17 year olds.

Those taking part have been spoken to by police for “low-level” matters.

Working with British Judo, Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue and the local communities, the programme, at Clocktower Gym in New Ash Green, has managed to get groups of young people to re-focus their lives.

Director of Kent People’s Trust Bryn Price, who organised the sessions, said: “We’ve been running youth programmes for the last five years and we’ve been running Fighting Chance ones up in Dartford, running all the way down to Herne Bay, and here in New Ash Green.

“The whole idea is that young people who are on the verge of being excluded - victims or perpetrators, should be able to achieve something for themselves with a structured programme.

“Coming to these programmes mean they’re at school, not in trouble with anyone, and they’re really going well.

"We’ve raised thousands of pounds to run these programmes but we rely on the partnership of people who refer the youngsters to us.

“This is not a ‘goodies for hoodies’ programme. They have to behave themselves to stay on the programme. The whole idea is that they achieve something by behaving themselves.

“By the end, mums and dads say their kids have changed. One said to me ‘you’ve turned my son from a thug to someone who has respect and a focus back in his life'.”