Britain’s Christian community must provide a strong visible presence on the nation’s streets during tough times, Street Pastors founder Les Isaac says.

Street Pastors is an organisation that was launched in 2003 in response to London’s growing gang culture and yobbish behaviour.

More than 9,000 volunteers now patrol streets throughout the UK on a regular basis.

Rev Les Isaac issued the call after watching the scenes of rioting and looting last week that has left the country in a state of shock, bewilderment and soul searching.

“Street Pastors has been a welcome and appreciated presence on Britain’s streets every Friday and Saturday evenings for the past eight years. If ever there is a time when we are needed it is now," he said.

“Street Pastors is keen to stand alongside hurting communities, be a comforting presence and brokers of peace.

"We have been going out on the streets ever since the start of the riots, but we think as things are calming down, it’s now even more important for us to be out and we want church leaders to stand alongside us.”

Aside from calling Christians to go out on the streets, Rev Isaac is calling on the church to pray strategically during these difficult times.

He said: “We are asking the Church to pray: for the police to maintain law and order; for parents to take greater responsibility over their children; for the young people out late at night not to be drawn into further lawless behaviour; for young people within the church to join together in praying for their generation; for young people of other faiths and no faith, who are law abiding; and for God to help us all to be a part of the solution.

“I believe that young people have a major part to play in finding solutions for the problems with disaffected youth, and prayer will help to kick start the solution finding process.”