Community Safety Group sponsors safety mousemats for youngsters

The Kincardine & Mearns Community Safety Group has sponsored 1,000 mousemats to be provided for every computer in primary and secondary schools in the Mearns.

The mousemats carry helpline phone numbers for youngsters who might be experiencing problems ranging from bullying and exam stress to exposure to drugs, alcohol and physical and sexual abuse.

Constable David McLean of the Stonehaven Police said:

"Although school notice boards carry such numbers, youngsters are reluctant to note them in case their friends see what they are doing. Also, young people are unlikely to approach an adult for help. Mousemats were seen as the ideal medium to pass on this important and valuable information as children have access to them every day."

Police Officers decided that the mousemats should be designed by the children themselves with the phone numbers they felt were most relevant. School pupils Lewis Thomson from Stonehaven and Amy Shand from Inverbervie were rewarded by seeing their designs used for the mousemats.