A METRO NEWS front page inspired an anti-gun violence song.

Rusholme businessman Pete Vernon, of Vernon's Restaurant in Wilmslow Road, wrote the lyrics to "Put It Down" after reading a Metro News story in March, "Gun crime soars", which reported that gang violence was escalating despite the efforts of the police and the community.

He turned to local musicians Riani Young and Pete Williams of Ardwick's Level One Studios to write and produce an R&B backing track for the song, which urges people involved in gang life to change their ways.

The song features Newton Heath singer, Precious, and Malcolm Pitt of Wythenshawe.

Contributors to the record, who are known as "The V Team", have got campaigners Mothers Against Violence's endorsement and hope the police will follow.

Pete Vernon said: "I have been writing lyrics for a long time. When I saw the article in Metro News I decided it was time to do my bit, by putting out a positive message to the community.

"The article also held a personal interest for me because my father witnessed one of the incidents the story talked about, the car chase through Hulme. We didn't think the song would grow the way it has grown, but now everybody who hears it loves it. Precious has an amazing talent. She's going to be the next Alicia Keys.

"We've played the track to local primary school children because we want to reach the generation who are getting to the age where they might be tempted by gangster culture.

"One of the big problems we face is that the rappers like 50 Cent make a lot of money glamorising violence. We want to fight this concept that you can blow people's heads off and get rich doing it."

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