MANY of this country's most famous footballers learnt their skills playing in the street.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard started there and the same team's Jamie Carragher has fond memories of playing in the streets of his home town Bootle until it was too dark to see.

There is far less street football today, with many youngsters nowadays preferring to watch the TV, play video games or surf the net.

Another reason, though, is that games in the road are often frowned upon - as a group of youngsters in Blaenavon is discovering.

Liam George, 15, and his friends have fallen foul of local byelaws banning ball games in the street, mainly Broad Street. They have been asked by police to move on ten times in the last month after residents complained of balls being kicked against their houses.

The youngsters and representatives of the local football club say there are not enough facilities for kids in the area, and would like more play areas and pitches to be built.

"We play football in the street because there's nowhere else to go," said Liam, a pupil at Abersychan Comprehensive School.

The nearest pitch, known as the Riflemans, lies half a mile north of Blaenavon town centre, in Abergavenny Road. Its isolated location makes it unsuitable for youngsters, according to Liam's mother, Tammie George, of New Road, Garndiffaith. "I wouldn't like Liam going there because it's in quite a rural area," said Mrs George, 33, a pharmacy assistant.

"What the town needs is an outdoor multi-sports surface." Blaenavon Blues already have to take two of their junior teams to the astroturf at Nantyglo Comprehensive School, Brynmawr, for weekly training. Bill Jones, chairman of the junior section, said: "The facilities in Blaenavon are letting us down."

A spokeswoman for Torfaen council said: "We recognise that in this day and age many parents are keen for their children to play safely in close proximity to their home. We must balance that requirement with the needs of other residents."