A CITY youth worker wants to clamp down on illegal fishing at County Hall by encouraging bored youngsters to take up the sport competitively.

Dave Yeomans, from Ronkswood Community Centre, is being backed by council officials and his local beat bobby, Liz Northcott.

The keen fisherman already runs a successful club, based at the Canterbury Drive community centre, with up to 18 youngsters regularly swapping the Ronkswood estate for open countryside every Saturday.

Now the father-of-two, who has run the fishing initiative for four years, hopes to mirror its success for children living near to County Hall.

His main sticking point is finding funding for extra rods, umbrellas, tackle and basic equipment to take on an extra days' fishing.

He believes the scheme would help protect wildlife at County Hall and tackle the problems of ripped-up paving slabs, smashed-in windows and stolen benches that the grounds have suffered from.

"The current scheme at Ronkswood really is fantastic," said Mr Yeomans, a voluntary youth worker.

"We have lots of volunteers and parents who help in supervising and transporting the children and tackle to different ponds."

"The only problem is if it rains, because we're desperately short of umbrellas and we have to dash for shelter."

The 55-year-old carer was approached by PC Liz Northcott and, after several meetings at County Hall, they are keen to get a similar scheme off the ground.

The Punch Bowl pub, in Ronkswood, and Alan's Tackle shop, in St John's, have both provided pools for the children to use.

Now, with extra dates fixed up for later this year, Mr Yeomans wants to take 30 young fisherman under his wing and hopes businesses may back his community initiative.

"Children can get into trouble if they are bored, but the transformation of some of the kids when we get them off the estates is incredible," he said.

"We have competitive matches throughout the summer and the chil-dren take to the challenge brilliantly."

Anyone able to help with funding can leave a message for Dave at Ronkswood Community Centre on 01905 359578.