POLICE have welcomed a powerful new play on vehicle crime, written to convince villains that they are on the "Road to Nowhere".

The drama which has been touring the Coalfield Challenge area arrives at Golborne High School on Monday.

Written by Andrew Sherlock and performed by the Dream Ticket Theatre Company, the play is intended to make youngsters think hard about what is involved for criminals and victims when vehicles are stolen for 'grief riding'.

Pupils are encouraged to think through the many consequences of the crime, and are given the chance to take the stage and replay scenes - but with very different outcomes.

Following the production the audience took part in workshops run by the council's youth service, Greater Manchester Police and the council's road safety unit.

Divisional commander of Wigan Police, Ch Supt Julia Hodson, said: " I am glad to endorse this important initiative.

"Vehicle crime accounts for about a quarter of all the crime in Greater Manchester and sadly car theft seems to be going up slightly at the moment.

"Although we believe we manage to keep Wigan and Leigh a comparitively safe place to live, historically we have suffered more from this kind of crime than other districts, maybe because of our network of motorways and major highways.

"Excellent inroads have been made through the partnership approach with the various agencies of the local authority, but more can always be done, and I believe that we must try every means of teaching local people that stealing cars is not just a 'bit of harmless fun'.

" To the victims it is a serious assault on their quality of life, and to the young criminal it is a 'Road to Nowhere'."

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