Gang members will be targeted with a campaign of love on Valentine's Day.

“Don’t break your mum’s heart on Valentine’s Day – she’s more important than any gang” is the slogan for a set of cards being sent to young people who are in or on the edge of a gang.

The aim of the campaign is to get young people to see beyond the gang lifestyle.

Cllr Chris Bond, who is responsible for environment and community safety at Enfield Borough Council, said: "We know who our gang members are and what they've done in the past. These cards are a gentle reminder that we're on their case and will continue to be until they clean up their act.

"We do a lot of innovative and effective work to tackle gangs and serious youth violence in the borough and this campaign will build on and support those efforts. Serious youth violence is one of the crimes which causes the most anguish and concern in the community and we are absolutely focused on tackling violent crime."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Healy of Enfield Police said: “Enfield Police work closely with our partners to divert people away from crime, with a particular emphasis around joining or remaining in a gang.

“If people do not take up the offer of support, then we will use enforcement tactics to curtail offending and ensure that the risk they poses to each other and the general public is minimised."

The local authority has also jointly hosted gang "call-ins" with police, in which known gang members and schoolchildren attend court and are warned about criminality and wider behaviour by police, judges, the probation service, council officers, ex-gang members, community leaders, surgeons and the parents of young murder victims.