Beanfield Tenants' and Residents' Association received £5,000 from the county council to start the scheme, which is being managed by Groundwork North Northamptonshire.

The scheme is the first of its kind to be organised by a tenants and residents group in Corby and sees two youth workers visit Beanfield every Friday night to talk to youngsters.

Maria Difolco is one of the youth workers working on the estate, along with Joanne Brown.

She said: "We go down there on Fridays and get together with about 15 young people.

"The other week we played rounders with them and talked about anti-social behaviour.

"They have got lots of ideas about what they want to do. It has been really good.

"There are problems in Beanfield in terms of anti-social behaviour.

"We are trying to get youngsters to build up a trust and we have got some ideas with them about a football tournament and an arts and crafts activity."

The workers have been going down to the area for about six weeks and similar patrols have been carried out two nights a week on the Exeter estate and in Corby town centre.

Ann Marie Lawson, from Groundwork, said: "We want to have the same success as we had in the central area and that is reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.

"We try to base this around respect, cohesion and bringing down barriers and it's only by doing these things that young people have any understanding of what being a respected member of the community is about.

"We want to get an action group made up of eight young people who we will work with to see how they can improve the community.

"I'm confident that crime and anti-social behaviour will reduce and that all the young people will have their awareness raised."

Beanfield resident Irene Prentice, of Greenhill Rise, said: "I do think it's a good thing and it's needed.

"The general feeling would be anything would be welcome if it's going to help get youngsters off the streets."