These points can be exchanged for tickets for sports and leisure events across London. Children could even travel to Disneyland on the Eurostar.

Each time children at 17 schools in south-east London turn up at classes or display "good citizenship" in other ways, they will have points added to their card. Once they have collected enough credits they will be able to choose from tickets for ice hockey, rugby league and cricket, or other prizes. They will also be able to redeem their points at a mobile internet cafe.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens gave the scheme his support yesterday. He said police, who wanted to reduce the 31 per cent rise in street crime, were facing a "disturbing new phenomenon" in that 75 per cent of youngsters arrested for robbery had no previous involvement with the police.