TOUGH action by police to tackle the problem of youth anti-social behaviour in the centre of Tidworth is having a significant impact on the problem, the area's section commander told the Tidworth Community Forum.

Offenders had been particularly active in the Hampshire Cross area causing a significant amount of damage to the town's only public conveniences and vandalising the nearby constructed skateboard ramp.

But Sgt Mick Wood said there have been no incidents of vandalism reported in the area for the past four weeks.

Police had succeeded in getting youngsters to sign contracts guaranteeing their good behaviour while one youth has been given a 90-day curfew.

Police are also seeking to obtain an anti-social behaviour order in the courts against one indvidual and if successful Tidworth will become one of the first communities of its size in the county to have such an order imposed.

"I hope to have the first ASBO in operation soon and will be annoyed if we don't get it," he said.

"I think we are ahead of the game on this."

Obtaining the orders involves compiling evidence and meeting protocols and can take longer than is commonly supposed, he added.

Meanwhile Col Richard Amery from Tidworth Garrison reminded people that Kennet District Council is planning to monitor all the incidents of anti-social behaviour across the whole district on 28 July as an example of what is happening on a particular day.

He urged as many people as possible to report incidents to police on that day as the figures would then be reported back to Kennet.