KEIGHLEY children had a great time walking the thin blue line this summer.

The police’s first Summer Camp in the town filled up quickly with hundreds of youngsters taking part in the week of special activities.

Police officers were joined by soldiers and firefighters during the camp at University Academy Keighley.

An award ceremony on the final day was attended by parents and guests, including Keighley West award councillor Adrian Farley.

Cllr Farley, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for Children and Families, said: “It was fantastic and great to see so many students attend – around 200. This was the first camp and was a huge success.”

West Yorkshire Police and Bradford College have run similar camps in Bradford since 2009 but expanded to Keighley following a request from Cllr Farley and Merlin Top Primary School in Braithwaite.

Council Farley said: “It links into the Year of Safety running in Keighley schools. It was a brilliant way of engaging with young people across Keighley.

“I was surprised Summer Camp was full to capacity and there were some very proud parents for the award ceremony.”

The camps were open to children aged nine to 15 years old and combined sport with education workshops to provide youngsters with a positive outlet for their energy.

Superintendent Daniel Greenwood, who led the police involvement, said the aim was to educate youngsters on the consequences of anti-social behaviour and the importance of personal safety, so they could become confident young adults making a positive contribution to society.