A CRIME-BUSTING organisation has called on the whole community to help Worcester youngsters resist the growing drug culture.

Crimestoppers made the appeal as it revealed the results of its SNAP - Say No and Phone - campaign, which was set up to combat drug abuse among young people.

A spokesman for Crimestoppers said last year saw West Mercia police arrest 511 people for drug-related crimes, and 2,088 calls were made to the Crimestoppers phone line leading to £235,000 of drugs being seized.

Statistics reveal that one-third of all 14-year olds in the country has tried drugs at least once and drug users are becoming younger.

Since the SNAP campaign started in October 1995, drug-related crime has almost doubled.

Crimestoppers encourages people to phone with information on criminal activities, guaranteeing their anonymity. Director Digby Carter said there was still much work to be done.

"We need continually to change the current mood that surrounds drugs and other related crime, and the culture they have spawned," he said. "We all have a responsibility to help young people say no, whether it's as role models, businesses, educators or police.

"It's up to the community to become involved - support Crimestoppers and support our future. What we are saying in this year's annual review is crime hurts us all. Fight back with us."

Sara Banner, a drug worker with Worcester based charity Turning Point, said everything that can be done needs to be to combat the menace of drugs.

"It's a problem that is growing and not an easy one to solve," she said. "In Worcester it seems to be growing much at the same rate as it is in the rest of the country."

"We need to give as much treatment as possible to those addicted to drugs."

Crimestoppers calls are free and available 24 hours a day to report crime on 0800 555111.