A GROUP of Southampton youngsters is to use creative arts in the battle to beat school bullies.

During March and April children from two city primary schools will explore conflict and how to resolve it positively using a range of different art forms.

The six-week Positive Conflict Project will involve about 50 children from Thornhill and Hightown Primary schools.

Using drama improvisation, video and photography, the course will help youngsters to find their own techniques for keeping safe and dealing with conflicts.

The experience will be recorded by the children on video and CD-ROM and these will be made available to local schools and other organisations.

The Project has been initiated by the NSPCC. It will bring together teachers and arts workers from Solent Peoples Theatre, City Eye and Mount Pleasant Media Workshop.

Caroline Rackham of the Mount Pleasant Media Workshop said: "It is a drama project in essence, looking at different ways of solving conflict and helping them to understand there are all sorts of ways to solve a problem, not just violence or screaming at one another."

She added: "It is quite innovative and unusual and I think it will be useful to the children."

NSPCC community worker Paul Ryan said: "The schools were keen to continue providing creative means for pupils to deal with everyday conflict situations."

The NSPCC and the Thornhill New Deal for Communities project are funding the work.