IT has wowed audiences wherever it has taken to the road - including the Edinburgh Festival - with its powerful message against anti-social behaviour.

However, the writers and cast of the acclaimed play Bang Out of Order were left bitterly disappointed when their final performance at the Southamp-ton school where their success began had to be cancelled.

Poor ticket sales among an invited audience, including sheltered accommodation and day centre managers, as well as those involved in the council's crime reduction environment weeks, meant the event had to be pulled at the last minute.

It is the second time in under a week red faced council bosses have seen events lined up to coincide with Southampton's new Respect area status descend into farce.

As previously reported just one resident turned up to a public meeting to discuss antisocial behaviour on the Millbrook estate.

Up to 18 people including police community support officers, city patrol officers and neighbourhood wardens turned up to meet residents leading to accusations it was a waste of council taxpayers' money.

The public meeting and the performance of Bang Out of Order at Oaklands Community School had been organised in the same week Southampton was named as one of 40 councils across the UK to become part of Tony Blair's Respect agenda.

Around £225,000 of Home Office money will be given to the city to fight anti-social behaviour and promote a culture of respect.

A Southampton City Council spokesman refused to say exactly how many people had been invited to attend the performance and the number of tickets sold.

The spokesman said: "We are disappointed at the lack of success of some of the events we planned for the launch of our Respect action area status.

"Distribution of publicity does not appear to have been as effective as we would have liked. We circulated invitations to the Bang out of Order play to the departments and other agencies involved in CREW, managers of sheltered accommodation and day centres in the area."

The council is now hoping to organise a city-wide performance of the play at a future date.