CHILDREN living in Vimy Road, Linslade, were treated to a boat ride along the canal by the police on Thursday to help wave off summer boredom.

Beds Police rounded up the youngsters for the ride on the Bromley Youth Trust barge skippered by John Oxley. All the police workshops on various estates around the town have been designed to keep teenagers and children off the streets and constructively occupied during the summer holiday.

Liam Wells, 12, Josh Whiting, 6, and Katie Westley, 7, are pictured on the first trip out of Vimy Road with PCSO Fay Barrett and PC Neville Johnson. They took turns to steer the boat and helped to work the locks.

Vimy Road is sandwiched between the canal and the River Ousel. The police have provided ball games for youngsters elsewhere in the town, but because there are no green open spaces in Vimy Road they had to find another form of entertainment for children. Two canal boat trips were organised, and also canoeing on Friday evening courtesy of Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club. Parents were so impressed many asked for further information.

PCSO Barrett said she wanted to thank everyone who helped, including Leighton Linslade Rotary Club and the ''I Love LB'' campaign, who provided funding, and Tesco who donated the refreshments. She said: "It was an excellent team effort. Everyone had a fantastic time and it was a wonderful way for the children to round off the school holidays."