Staff from an Oxfordshire Young Offenders' Institution received awards at Buckingham Palace for their innovative work.

The Princess Royal presented Stieve Butler and Peter Meyerhoff with Butler Trust awards after they established the concept of 'break weeks' at Huntercombe YOI at Nuffield near Wallingford.

Every eight weeks the 15- to 18-year-old youths detained at Huntercombe get involved in a week of activities as a break from the custodial regime.

Outside bodies are brought in to teach the 350 young men a range of 70 subjects, including photography, camping, drama, sports, music recording, fork-lift truck driving and brick-laying.

Mr Meyerhoff, a former Home Office PE instructor who now advises as a consultant, said the aim was to prevent re-offending.

He said: "The break week was the brainchild of the Governor, Paul Manwaring, and Stieve and I helped to set it up. We're moving towards being a secure college and we've had some success with lads taking things up for themselves once they've been released."

Huntercombe is currently the only institution to have a break week scheme, but others may follow.

Ms Butler, an arts co-ordinator, said: "I am pleased this inventive idea, which benefits trainees in such diverse ways, has been recognised by the Trust, and hope other establishments will feel confident to adopt our approach."

Mr Manwaring recently won an award from the Howard League for Penal Reform for his "visionary approach to working with children".

He also won praise from the Board of Visitors for transforming the nature of the regime last year when Huntercombe became a wholly juvenile establishment.