“IT has turned my life around, I no longer run away from home or bunk off school.”

That is what one teenager said after being put through a gruelling, US Army-style boot camp.

Six troubled teenagers from south Oxfordshire spent a day chest-deep in muddy water and tackling an assault course in order to learn about discipline and teamwork.

The youngsters, who were referred by police and youth workers, also spent three days volunteering at the Northmoor Trust, where they helped with conservation work and learned about its history.

Sallyanne Hobbs, 14, from Great Western, in Didcot, said: “Before I went on the boot camp I was running away from home, harassing teachers, bunking off school and making my mother sick with worry. Now everything has changed and I enjoy school.

“It taught us what it’s like in the Army, and also there were two police officers with us and now I feel like I have a better relationship with the police.

“When I leave school I want to work with children.”

Michael Dewsbury, 15, of Station Road, Didcot, added: “I used to have problems with my anger and would always lose my temper. That got me into a lot of trouble at school.

“Now I can control my anger better and I’ve learned how to work as a team. I’ve also stopped hanging around with my old friends.”

Simon Absolom, 14, of Loddon Avenue, Berinsfield, said: “I would beat people up or throw stones at their houses and now that has all changed.

“We’ve learned to co-operate with others better and sort ourselves out.”

The youngsters attended the course, held in Surrey, over the past five weeks.

Sgt Fraser Weller, of Didcot police, was at the camp.

He said: “I knew all of these teenagers already from patrols and this was all about showing them the police are not just there to disrupt their lives.

“They’ve learnt by being given goals and the idea is they can be role models for their friends and hopefully spread the positivity.”

The teenagers were presented with certificates acknowledging their achievements on Thursday.

The idea was the brainchild of Jackie Silver and Jane Cox, of SOHA Housing.

Ms Silver said: “We wanted to demonstrate to young people who had trouble accepting authority that being mainstream and working together opened up opportunities to them.”