Hundreds of thousands will be invested into preventing young people becoming involved in gang crime in Croydon.

The Home Office has announced £344,454 will be spent in 2012/13 in Croydon, the fourth highest sum, as part of a £10m investment nationally into early intervention work.

The scheme Ending Gang and Youth Violence follows on from the disorder in August.

MP for Croydon Central Gavin Barwell praised the decision.

He said; “I am very pleased. The fact is my job since August has been centred around the recovery and although people involved in gangs were not the only ones rioting in Croydon, it has been seen a lot of the early organisation came through people with association to gangs.”

In London one in five of those arrested in connection with the riots were known gang members.

Using a combination of data on serious youth violence and local police intelligence on the severity and location of gang activity, the Home Office identified 22 areas with high rates of serious violence, admissions to hospital for assault by sharp object, and gang problems.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "We are providing practical help and support to those communities most affected by gang and youth violence.

"The aim is to help local areas themselves understand the specific problems they face and to develop local and effective solutions.”