DRUGS and arson join the three Rs for more than 1,000 Ipswich pre teens this week.Today the county council and police link up to drive home the personal safety message.

DRUGS and arson join the three Rs for more than 1,000 Ipswich pre teens this week.

Today the county council and police link up to drive home the personal safety message.

Kids as young as 10 will take part in the Crucial Crew programme which sees the Fire Service, drugs counsellors and railway chiefs join the teaching staff for the day.

Twenty primary schools, including St Matthews Primary, Springfield Junior School and Chantry Junior Schools are taking part in the week-long scheme.

Suffolk Council's Head of Community Safety, Jim Manning said: "The classroom scenarios cover everything from what do to in a fire and who to go to if a stranger approaches you to understanding the role of the coastguard."

He went on: "Crucial Crew works - 'Crucial Crewers' demonstrate an improved awareness of crime reduction issues and accident prevention and lessons learnt have been put into action."

Agencies taking part in the programme include ICENI, a local drugs project, the council's road safety unit, Anglia Railways and the police.

Police Education Partnership Officer, Pc David Bevan said: "We hope to stimulate the children to concentrate on the development of skills and the forming of strategies for keeping safe.

"These strategies will include who and where you can go for help and also just because someone might be known to the child, it does not necessarily mean they can be trusted".

Mr Manning continued: "Crucial Crew reaches children just as they are becoming more independent and spending greater leisure time outside of adult supervision."