The winner of the February's competition run by the Avon and Somerset Police youth engagement website, Cranium Caviar, has today been named.

Cranium Caviar asked youngsters to answer five multiple choice questions based around information on the website about drugs, the law, personal safety and alcohol.

Entries were received from across the force area and now the winner, 11 year old Matt Holgate from Winterbourne, is the proud new owner of the latest Ipod Nano, which Avon and Somerset Constabulary loaded with fun Cranium Caviar videos.

Matt was grateful for his prize, presented to him by PC Claire Reeves, and on taking his first look at the Ipod, said: "Wow, that's amazing! I've been saving up for ages for one of these."

Claire Reeves, neighbourhood beat manager at Staple Hill police station, said: "Cranium Caviar is a really fun yet informative website covering all sorts of subjects such as drugs, bullying and personal safety. It's great that youngsters visiting the website can have fun as well as get some good advice."

CraniumCaviar.com aims to educate 11 to 18 year olds on relevant issues in a fun and informative way. The website tackles a variety of topics from drugs and alcohol to bullying and driving. It explains the legislative and social aspects of each topic, using images, videos and real life experiences.

Avon and Somerset Police are extending their bicycle marking competition until Sunday February 14 to encourage those that received a new bike for Christmas to protect their new property and deter thieves.

Officers have been holding various cycle marking events throughout Avon and Somerset to increase the chances of your bicycle being returned to you should it be lost or stolen.

Anyone who gets their bike security marked before Valentines Day can be entered into a competition to win £150 worth of bicycle accessories.

Contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0845 456 7000 to find out details of the next cycle marking event near you. Alternatively you can arrange to have your bike marked at your local police station.

Find your local police station

For terms and conditions please visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/cyclecompetition

Avon and Somerset's top tips to keep your bicycle safe

Park your bike in well lit, busy areas
For maximum protection use two locks of different types – a D-lock and a robust chain is ideal
Use high quality locks that have achieved Sold Secure or Thatcham standard
Lock your bike up even when it is at home in your garage
Register your bicycle at www.immobilise.com

From the 23rd December 2009 certain legal highs such as BZP (Benzylpiperazine or 'Legal E'), and GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone), will become Class C Drugs – just like Tranquilisers, some painkillers, GHB and Ketamine. On the same day Synthetic Cannabinoids (Herbal Smoke, Spice) will become Class B – just like Cannabis. That means if you are caught in possession you could go to prison.

What are legal/herbal highs?
If it's legal it must be safe, right? Wrong.

Just because something isn't illegal doesn't make it safe. Legal highs have not been tested and consequently you could be taking absolutely anything. All legal highs are currently being looked at by the government who are examining the chemicals in them to see whether they are safe and to work out what the long term effects are.

Already there have been plenty of stories in the media about legal highs causing illness, bad reactions, violence and even death, especially when they are taken with other drugs or alcohol. Taking one drug is unsafe but taking two together is just plain stupid!

FACT: Over the past couple of years the drugs causing the most harm to individuals at Glastonbury, which included hospitalisation for severe vomiting, were "legal Highs". Think about it, is it worth it?

Girl, 14, who died at house party may have taken drug sold on internet for £4 a gram...

"This week (16-20 November) is anti-bullying week and I work as a beat manager in schools to educate students on crime, investigate offences and of course try to prevent any offences happening in the first place.

Modern technology such as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and mobile phones can be a great way to stay connected with mates (especially if you’re grounded!) Cyberbullying is however overtaking the traditional face-to-face bullying you see in the playground, and the problem is it can be a lot trickier to resolve.

So what is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology, like the internet or mobile phones, to taunt, threaten, insult, and humiliate another person. Unlike being cornered in the playground, the trouble with cyberbullying is that you probably won’t know who the person is.

However even if you don’t know who the culprit is, that doesn't mean that you can't stop the bullying with a little help from others.

The first thing to do if you have been a victim of cyberbullying is to tell somebody about it. This could be your parents, a teacher or even a friend you trust – you don’t need to suffer in silence.

I work closely with teachers to help combat all forms of bullying, whether it’s face to face or through modern technology, and we take reports very seriously. In some severe situations cyberbullies can face prosecution under the Malicious Communications Act, which has a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment."

Andy White, School Beat Manager

Here are some tips on helping to prevent cyberbullying and who to contact if you’ve been a victim:

Report any cyberbullying straight away, whether it’s targeted at you or not.

Remember, it’s not your fault if you’re being cyberbullied.
Don’t pass on cyberbullying videos or messages – that makes you as bad as the cyber bully.

If you’re being bullied repeatedly, think about changing your user ID, nickname or profile.

Save and print out any bullying messages, posts, pictures or videos you receive or see.

Never respond or retaliate, as this can just make things worse. It might be difficult, but try to ignore the bullies.

Make a note of the dates and times of bullying messages, along with any details you have about the sender’s ID and the URL.

Think very carefully before posting photos of yourself online; once your picture is online, anyone can download it and then share it or even change it.

Respect other people’s views – just because you don’t agree with them, it doesn’t mean that you have to be rude or abusive.

Protect your privacy. Never let anyone have access to your passwords. Check the privacy settings on your accounts, and make sure you know how to keep your personal information private.

Think carefully about what you say before you write or post anything online.

If you would like to speak to someone in confidence about you or a friend there are organisations that can help.

Check out:
http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk
http://www.kidsmart.org.uk
http://www.digizen.org
http://www.cybermentors.org.uk

Pick up the phone:
Avon and Somerset Police on 0845 456 7000
ChildLine on 0800 1111

Last month we tried, and failed, to give away four CSI Computer Games. Can you Adam and Eve it? We can't even give stuff away these days!

This month we were going to be giving away a sleek new iPod Nano but since no-one got the questions right to win the CSI games we're going to have to re-run the same competition again. Boring!

This website is aimed at young people, primarily those aged between 11 and 18. The CSI games carry an age limit of 16+ so you have to be aged between 16 and 18 to win... but make sure you get the questions right or you won't win a sausage!

Enter the competition here

"I have a lot of experience of working on Bonfire Night and this will be my 9th year on duty on November 5th. It does tend to be a very busy night. There are generally several community events organised that happen around the region but there are also many more events that are organised by families at home – so there's always a lot going on.

Many of the incidents we have to deal with on Fireworks' Night are examples of when things go wrong with fireworks or people are not sensible with them. For instance, we do hear reports of people throwing them at one another or at cats and dogs and it's in these instances that it becomes incredibly dangerous.

In the past I've had to deal with incidents when using fireworks has gone wrong. There was one incident a number of years ago that I attended where a group of teenagers had been setting off fireworks. They had got hold of a bit of scaffolding tube and inserted one in there. When the firework failed to go off one of them picked it up and peered down the tube and then it exploded. Luckily he had turned his head away otherwise he most likely would have been blinded by the incident, however he was burnt on the side of his head and needed hospital treatment. It’s in those situations when the police have to go into first aid mode as well as law enforcement to help those that have been injured.

Anyone planning on celebrating fireworks night this year I would just urge to take care. The night is an opportunity to have fun but if you're not sensible with fireworks then it can end up going horribly wrong.

To have a safe and fun fireworks night just follow some simple safety advice and you should have a great time!

• Never approach a lit firework, especially if it hasn't gone off properly as it could still explode
• Stand well back from firework displays and never throw fireworks – even if they are not lit.
• If you are using sparklers make sure you are wearing gloves and only ever hold one at a time.

There are a number of laws in place to protect people from the risks posed by fireworks, which make it a criminal offence for anyone under 18 to be in possession or to buy them.. If you do plan to go out and watch a display either go to a community organised event with friends or stay at home with family and ask your parents to put on a display.

Generally Bonfire Night should just be a fun evening for everyone and it’s only those few incidents of people not taking proper care around fireworks that can make it dangerous, so our aim, while we’re on duty on the evening, is to ensure everyone can enjoy themselves while staying safe.

For the force, Fireworks' Night this year falls in 'Not in My Neighbourhood Week' - which is a high visibility operation working with our partners to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime. Therefore there will be many of us out on patrol, including me, who will be out on duty in high visibility clothing. It’s hard to know what to expect with fireworks night but I always anticipate it will be busy a night!"

Ben Saville, Neighbourhood Beat Manager in Yeovil

The Proud 2B Conference took place on 4th July 2009 at the City Academy, Russell Town Avenue, Bristol.

The Proud 2B conference was the first of a series of events and activities that will come under the Proud 2B name. Proud 2B celebrate the talent, diversity and awareness of young people. They are open to any young person to take part and enjoy.

Some of the celebrities that featured at this opening event include Tre Azam, Shazia Mirza and Dawud Wharnsby.

Halloween for many is just a bit of fun and a chance to dress up in spooky costumes. For the police however it can be one of our busiest nights of the year and certainly when I've been on duty on Halloween, we've had many more reports to deal with than on an average night.

Many of the reports we receive on Halloween night are of intimidation, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage – which tend to stem from trick or treat pranks that go too far.

For those taking part in 'trick or treating' it should just be a bit of fun but for some on the receiving end of tricks or unexpected callers it can be an intimidating experience.

I would suggest to anyone making plans for this Halloween to be respectful to others and make sure your fun stays within the law.

What might seem like harmless fun to some can cause untold misery to others. Anyone throwing eggs and flour on Halloween or scaring others could end up in a mess themselves and I'm not just talking about getting your hands dirty!

You could be arrested and these pranks could end up affecting your future. You could end up with a criminal conviction which may have a lasting impact on your future.

If you do decide to go 'Trick or Treating' try to only visit a house where you know the residents and you know they are happy to take part.

This year posters have been produced for residents to display if they do not want to be visited by trick or treaters - do not knock on the doors of houses displaying these signs or where you know the residents are vulnerable.

You can see the Halloween posters on the right or download them from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary website.

On Halloween remember your own safety too and if you are planning on going out - always stay with other people and don't enter houses where you don't know the residents.

Carry a torch and a mobile phone with you and wear clothes that you will be seen in by drivers.

But better still, why not stay at home and have a Halloween party at home instead!

Karen Macdonald, Youth Inclusion Officer in Bristol