No-one has more reason to sing the praises of the Trax project than Stuart Phillips, who, as a 20-year-old tear- away, already with a prison record, was definitely on the road to nowhere.

On remand in Reading Prison, awaiting sentences for vehicle theft, dangerous driving and other related offences, a bleak future behind bars seemed inevitable.

But when the judge decided to give him one last chance, and ordered him to carry out 240 hours' community service, he changed Stuart's life -- and his attitude towards it -- by adding that he should attend the newly-created Trax project on three half-day sessions over a period of 11 weeks.

Ten years on, father-of-two Stuart is now on the payroll as one of two permanent mechanics at the Osney Mead base who pass on their skills and enthusiasm to the young volunteers -- and, happily, a diminishing number of offenders -- entrusted to their knowledgeable care.

Stuart, 30, originally from the Barton estate in Oxford but now living in Blackbird Leys, admits he breathed a sigh of relief at the judge's lenient decision.

He recalls: "I was just so glad to have be sent on the Trax course. If my parents had known half of what I'd really done, I think I would have preferred to have gone to prison instead!"

The ex-Cheney Upper School pupil, whose family had hopes of him becoming an architect, went to the Oxford College of Further Education and night school, but dropped out of his studies to become a management trainee at the former Co-op store in Cornmarket Street.

He was a latecomer to crime, he says, having begun offending at 18 while hanging around with older boys.

"It was all about joyriding at first, but then you got involved in the money side, stealing trim and wheels to order from cars, and delivering different cars to people who wanted them."

And the infamous 'hotting' sessions on the Blackbird Leys estate which hit the our television screens nightly?

"Oh yeah, I did my fair share of that.

"It wasn't just the one gang involved, it was small groups -- a couple of car thieves here, two or three more there -- and it just grew and grew.

"The press were there every night, and it got to where you'd tell them where to be to get the best pictures!"

Stuart admits that even when he was sent to Trax, his offending continued for some time before he got it out of his system.

"Part of the deal was that I had an 11pm curfew, and I always managed to get home on time. My probation officer was surprised at the offending I was still doing despite having to be in by that time!"

But the carefully designed Trax programme of creating fresh interests while refusing to be judgemental, soon had its beneficial effect.

Stuart recalls: "We looked at why I had offended, and we were messing about with cars, which is what I really enjoyed doing.

"There was so much after-care as well. They just opened the doors and I was free to come in here at any time -- and that's what I did -- I put a lot of time into it, just to get off the estate.

"Eventually, I finished my sentencing programme, and as a follow-on, won a place on a voluntary programme, stripping cars and getting them on the 'banger racing' track. I had a few goes at getting my buzz that way!

"That went on for about two years or so, and then they asked me to come in and work with the young ones.

"The sheer fact that if you messed up at any time, there was staff here to point you in the right direction was so important.

"Just seeing young guys coming through from the estates made me want to try and help them as well.

"But you definitely can't preach to anyone, whatever they've done. If they want something, they have to ask.

"As far as I'm concerned, the project has been brilliant for me. The after-care I was given, and the fact that people are here for you all the time is what it's all about."