YOUNG people who have been given new mobile phones for Christmas are being offered free crime prevention advice.

Police are targeting teenagers who travel to and from Bolton's Moor Lane bus station to raise awareness of the danger of street robbery and to help them to avoid their phones being stolen.

Three officers will be on hand at the main bus station stands J to R over the next two weeks.

Young people will be offered the chance to have theirphones marked with an ultraviolet pen. They will also be given advice on what to do if their phone is stolen and how to cancel their phone SIM card.

The officers were available up to 5pm today and will also be at the bus station between 3pm and 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

PC Kevin Wright said a similar initiative involving raising awareness of street robbery among elderly people had been carried out before Christmas.

"The elderly and the young are the two main victims of robbery," he said.

"We will be putting postcodes on young people's phones so they are easier to trace if they are stolen.

"Many young people walk along the street talking on their phones and are not aware of what is going on around them.

"The next thing they know their phones are snatched out of their hands while they are talking.

"We are trying to get the message across to them to be more aware."