POLICE are to patrol the streets of Greater Manchester in a new bid to crackdown on knife crime.

Ten areas are taking part in a £3million scheme to keep young people safe going to and from school.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, announcing the extra cash, said that with the nights drawing in it was particularly important that young people feel safer walking home from school.

"With more police officers patrolling your streets we are emphasising our core message that young people don't need to carry a knife for protection - it makes you less safe not more - and these additional police are there to help protect you," said Ms Smith.

The money will go to after-school patrols and also to dedicated police officers allocated to a school or a group of schools to work with young people who may be at risk of victimisation, offending or truancy. And police will also use new laws to remove young people they judge are at risk from the streets at night, and take them to a place of safety.

The Children's Secretary, Ed Balls, said that fortunately knife crime inside schools was incredibly rare.

"But we want to make sure they remain the safe haven they've always been while preventing young people being drawn into knife crime outside the school gate," said Mr Balls.

Senior police spokesman Alf Hitchcock said that young people told them that the period after school can be when rows happen between different groups and more police in the area would help them feel safer.

The scheme is being tested not only in Greater Manchester, but also Lancashire.