Daily roundup 4 March: Youth violence, ‘cheating watches', and children's centres

MPs have backed a motion calling for an independent all-party commission on serious youth violence in order to identify ways the issue can be tackled. The motion was put forward by by Labour MP Chuka Umunna during a House of Commons debate on gangs and youth violence.


Teachers have complained about "cheating watches" being sold online to students for them to use in exams. The BBC reports that the watches display information that can be read in exams, and can be turned back into a clock face by pressing an "emergency button".


Two soft toys found on trains have been returned to their owners following a year-long campaign. The BBC reports that Great Western Railway launched a campaign to find the owners of more than 40 toys that had been handed in as lost property in 2014.


Closing children's centres will lead to antisocial behaviour and family breakdowns, a charity has warned. The East Anglian Daily Times reports that Steve Sipple, operational director of children’s services at charity Action for Children, spoke out against Essex County Council's plans to cut the number of its children's centres.


A new vaccine that protects children against chickenpox is being trialled in UK hospitals. The Daily Mail reports that hospitals in Southampton, Bristol, Oxford, and Tooting are trialling giving the vaccine to all children aged between 12 and 23 months.