A BOXING club has been given £5,700 to find out what children want to keep them from hanging around on street corners.

The grant has been made to Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club and the research will lead to it providing all kinds of different services for youngsters.

The money has been given by the Government's Local Network Fund For Children and the research will be carried out by club founder Mark Reynolds, who is also its sports development officer, and committee member Neil Merrifield .

He said: "We do far more than just boxing now, but with this research we hope to expand the services we provide even more.

"We now do healthy living schemes, anti-bullying projects and dietary advice - but we have a vision to do far more. This money will help to make that vision a reality."

The boxing club has a youth forum and that will play an important role talking to youngsters across Kirklees and Calderdale about the activities they want to do which they regard as "cool".

Mr Reynolds added: "In short, we want to bring the streetwise culture indoors into a safe environment and, hopefully, divert youngsters away from getting into trouble."

In the long term the club may run schemes to help pupils excluded from schools or in trouble for anti-social behaviour.

"It will all be educational," said Mr Reynolds.

"But the boxing will always remain an important part of what we do. Everything we do will be very professional."

The boxing club was set up five years ago and now has more than 250 members.

Some are talented boxers, but many more go to the gym just to keep fit and enjoy the friendship around the place.

The results of the research will be shared with other organisations which have similar aims.

Views will also be sought from the police, probation services, youth services, schools and other voluntary and community projects.

The results of the research will be published at a conference to be held in Huddersfield next spring.