A DJ and MC academy is giving youngsters from Enfield's estates new hope for their futures.

The touring academy teaches youngsters how to DJ, present their music on the radio and MC - or rap over music.

A new course of lessons and workshops for six young people started on Thursday at the Enfield Island Village Youth Club, in Enfield Island Village.

Krissy Sims, 28, otherwise known as DJ Trickles, a professional DJ of 13 years who can command hundreds of pounds an hour for the right show, is running the course with MC Kerry O'Brian, aka Lady MC.

She said: "It's amazing to see how enthusiastic they are. They start off they're not very confident then they really get into it."

She said one of the things the course did was encourage youngsters away from offensive lyrics.

"All of their lyrics at the moment are about shanking (stabbing), it's all really negative.

"We say you can't do that and get played on the radio. We don't glamorise drugs or sexual violence, any of that sort of stuff."

At the youth club, 15-year-old Luke Billings of Ostell Crescent came off the decks after giving beat matching a go for the first time.

"It's confusing," he said. "I keep on losing the beat but I loved it, it's quality."

Elizabeth Baidoo, 17, of Brunswick Road, said: "I think it's fun and I really like music.

"You see loads of kids in the streets and the youth club's somewhere to go so you don't have to be vagabonds."

While they may be fun, the lessons count towards an Arts Award, which is equivalent to a GCSE.

And graduates help continue the project by helping out at community events and mentoring other children, which helps teach leadership and team working skills.

The Enfield Island Village course is the first of several planned for the housing estates of Enfield.

The academy is set to hit Capel Gardens, Southgate, Grampion House and Hylands Village.