Children excluded from school for misbehaving are to be offered the chance to go abseiling, quad biking and water skiing at camps in the countryside, the Government announced yesterday.

The week-long “community cohesion” camps aim to teach disadvantaged and troubled pupils about the dangers of gang culture and are being introduced to curb the rise in teenage knife and gun crime.

Beverley Hughes, the Children's Minister, said that the Government would pay £4.5 million towards the holidays for children from deprived areas, those involved in antisocial behaviour or who have been excluded from school and for those in foster care.

The money, spread over three years, will allow 10,000 disadvantaged youngsters to take part each year. In some cases participants may have to contribute £150 towards the £550 weekly cost of attending the camps.

The camps begin in the autumn and will run throughout the year. Youth Hostel Association sites will host the children, aged 10-16, who will discuss issues of race and self-worth.

Similar projects will run at weekends and in the evenings for children to develop self-discipline and team working as well as social skills. There will be discussion groups about diversity in an attempt to teach them to understand people from different backgrounds.

Ms Hughes said this would help “to tackle those young people who are turning to drink, crime or antisocial behaviour simply because they are bored”. She said: “We want to make sure that young people have plenty of interesting things to do, are kept active and engaged, and out of trouble.”

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