A BLACKBURN teenager told Tony Blair today she was fed up of the way he had tarred all young people with same brush.

She confronted the PM as he was about to leave King George's Hall following a press conference.

Westholme pupil Rahima Patel, 16, told the Prime Minister not to put across such a negative view of youngsters based on a few isolated incidents, adding that the vast majority of youngsters were law-abiding citizens.

Mr Blair agreed, saying: "The vast majority of young people are law-abiding people, but what we do have to deal with is the small minority."

Rahima said after she confronted the PM: "I thought it was about time someone pointed out that not all young people are hooligans and criminals.

"The politicians have gone around saying that they will get tough on youngsters, it is like they are smearing us all with the same brush.

"In his speech, Mr Blair went on about sorting out youngsters which I thought was unfair, because we are not all bad. So when he came to me he I just said that young people could be victims as well, and it was unfair to keep having a go at us.

"He seemed quite surprised but said he knew we could be victims too. At least I got my message across, which is what I wanted to do."

Rahima was picked to attend today's event because she is a local representative for the youth parliament, which is a national organisation set up to give young people the chance to have their say.