A sports scheme to help children avoid drugs and crime is making a big impact, the government has claimed.

Home Office minister Lord Falconer announced on Tuesday that the government has extended a successful youth scheme which targets young people aged between 10 and 16 living in severely deprived areas to offer them access to sports activities.

The minister was at Arsenal Football Club to announce 37 new sites for the Positive Futures initiative and was joined by premiership footballers Dion Dublin and Carlton Cole along with Olympic medallist Tessa Sanderson.

There are currently 67 projects in operation across the UK and studies by the Home Office have found they have been very successful.

Fellow Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth revealed that the scheme is being partly funded by cash raised through the sale of drug dealers' assets which is now possible because of the proceeds of crime bill.

The Football Foundation is also donating £3 million to the initiative.

The widening of the scheme is also linked to the launch of a £3 million television advertising campaign last month, aimed at tackling drug abuse by offering "Frank" advice.

"Getting and keeping young people away from drugs is the highest priority of the government's drug strategy," said Falconer.

"It is essential that we support vulnerable young people at an early stage, before they get involved in drugs and their problems escalate. Schemes such as this can help prevent another generation of young people becoming drug addicts and criminals, and help prevent drugs and crime tearing apart families and communities."