Ten teenagers have been spared prosecution after being arrested following a crime spree in Bramford.

Instead of potentially having criminal records the youngsters are now are working with Suffolk’s youth offending service to address their future behaviour.

Police spoke to around 13 teenage suspects in September – although not all were arrested - following a spate of arsons, burglary and vandalism in Bramford.

One of the incidents involved St Mary the Virgin Church in Church Green, which sustained damage to the inside of the property when seating and a carpet were drenched after a water fire extinguisher was set off.

In addition to St Mary the Virgin Church the inside of Bramford Bowls club in Acton Road was damaged the following day.

Other incidents included a car being vandalised with spray paint in The Street, the top of a hedge being sawn off, and a locked workshop being broken into with the car inside having one of its windows smashed.

Suffolk Constabulary has now said ten of those arrested, including two girls aged 15 and 16, are “engaging” in the Challenge 4 Change scheme.

Ryan Brunning, a spokesman for the constabulary, said: “A number of teenagers were arrested and subsequently bailed for the offences.

“As a result, two 17-year-old boys, four 16-year-old boys, a 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl have been working with the Challenge 4 Change team to consider the consequences of their actions without receiving a criminal record.

“Challenge 4 Change provides Suffolk Constabulary with an alternative to prosecution and through active participation it enables the offenders to keep open options that would be closed to them if they had a criminal record.

“An 18-year-old man was also issued with a community resolution for his role in a burglary at Bramford Bowls club with the condition he compensate the victim for the damage they caused.”