GANG attacks on young asylum seekers used to be so common in one of Glasgow's most notorious neighbourhoods a sheriff dubbed them "recreational racism".

GANG attacks on young asylum seekers used to be so common in one of Glasgow's most notorious neighbourhoods a sheriff dubbed them "recreational racism".

But today constables Harry Faulds, right, Helen Cobban and Anthony Gallagher were nominated for a national award after turning Red Road and other tough city areas into places where young offenders and immigrants play sports together in peace.

The trio from the Strathclyde Police Asylum liaison unit have been put forward for the Jane's Police Review Gala Diversity in Action award, which will be decided later this week.

PC Faulds said: "It started off as an integration project for young asylum seekers in Red Road in 2004. But we quickly realised that the gang fighters in these areas which we were trying to reclaim were coming along to join in."

Since its inception Operation Reclaim has been extended to seven key city communities, where more than 1600 young people have taken part in more than 840 activity sessions since July 2007.