A COMMUNITY group is fighting to turn round the lives of disadvantaged young men.

Thornton Lodge Community Action Group’s boxing lessons have been a real hit since organisers introduced them last year.

The training classes and boxing sessions regularly have 40 or 50 teenagers attending and are helping to drive down anti-social behaviour in Thornton Lodge, Crosland Moor and Lockwood.

Every Wednesday, the Moor-bottom Road Community Centre hosts boxing sessions, along with athletics, indoor hockey, X-box and Wii games.

But is it the boxing that has really fired the imagination of the youngsters, aged 12 to 19.

On Sundays, the group holds fitness and weight training sessions, along with mixed martial arts, at Nirvana’s Gym, Chapel Hill.

Professional Mixed Martial Arts champion and Huddersfield police inspector Phil Ounsley also attends some of these sessions to help instruct and motivate the teenagers.

Action Group manager Mohammed Osaman said: “Basically these sessions are getting the lads off the streets and turning them away from petty crime. We are reducing anti-social behaviour and getting them involved in sport.

“They are enjoying it a lot. A lot of boxing clubs are quite expensive and some of the lads come from deprived areas, so we are giving them a chance to try it for free.

“We have definitely noticed a difference locally. We are making a difference. Sixty per cent of the lads are thinking of joining the gym permanently, they are motivated and getting physically fit.

“Getting into a ring for three minutes really takes it out of you.”

The group recently enjoyed a visit from Kirklees mayor Clr Eric Firth, who saw how the project was boosting youngsters’ confidence.