Drugs, knives and county lines - educating Scunthorpe primary school children
Author Christina Gabbitas is trying to educate kids before they're targeted by drug gangs.
Children in Scunthorpe as young as nine years old have been learning about the dangers of county lines drug work, as North Yorkshire author Christina Gabbitas tours schools to educate kids before it's too late.
During the sessions, Year 5 and Year 6 pupils watched a short animated story illustrating a scenario where several children are persuaded to help transport drugs across county lines and become involved in knife crime.
Christina said: "I've been to school where a nine year old's been involved in a county line, and the whole family had to move away; we have to educate children to get them to understand what can happen.
"If we can help one child in each session we'll have achieved what we set out to do. It's a hard task but we've got to do it and I think more resource needs to be put into earlier intervention to stop it happening in the first place."
According to Home Office data, its County Lines Programme taskforce has seen 5,165 county lines closed, and 15,623 people arrested since it launched in 2019.
Gangs often exploit vulnerable people, such as those with mental health or addiction issues, or children, to distribute drugs across county lines while promising them money or other goods.
Christina said: "We have to educate our children as much as we possibly can - it's getting children to understand when someone's trying to groom them, to get them something they wouldn't ordinarily do, befriending them, offering them trainers, watches or money.
"I don't think people realise the extent of the problem - it's a growing problem and we have to try and deal with that. Police are doing a fantastic job at cutting down these lines but as soon as they're cut down more are springing up."