PROMPT police action has helped to curb bad behaviour by young people on the streets of Ambleside and St Mary's Churchyard, members of the Lakes Parish Council heard.

A recent spate of youth disorder in the town, which was highlighted at an earlier parish council meeting, resulted in swift intervention by the police with Inspector Tudor Griffiths and PC David Buxton reporting that behaviour had improved.

Councillors had previously heard that there had been a catalogue of damage caused in the town, which had cost St Mary's Parish Church £1,000.

The police officers told the latest meeting of the council that the names of seven young people had been entered on the police's "It's Your Choice" database with the threat of them receiving ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) and ultimately ASBOs (Anti Social Behaviour Orders) if their names reappeared repeatedly within a certain period.

Councillors were also told that the police had visited the youngsters' homes to speak with their families as well as talking to pupils at the Lakes School, Troutbeck Bridge. Respect' campaign letters also arrived this week via the school to local homes.

The officers also said that a Young Cumbria youth worker was also out on the streets of Ambleside every Monday with special constables and the police visiting the town's youth club on a regular basis. Parents were also offering their support by running a tuck shop.

Inspector Griffiths said there would be significant additional resources to engage with disaffected youth during the run-up to Halloween and Bonfire Night including support from the mobile CCTV unit and dog personnel.

But he said that Ambleside's youth problems were not in the same league as those in a place like Kendal where some troublemakers could be involved in up to eight separate disorder incidents in a day.

PC Buxton pointed out that Ambleside's reported crime figures were still two per cent down on this time last year - which was 28 per cent down on 2004.

Police dealt with 243 incidents in Ambleside in September, of which ten involved youths, and 132 in the first fortnight of October, with seven reports of youth disorder.

Anyone witnessing unacceptable behaviour in the town is asked to contact the police at the time of the incident on 0845-3300247 ext 4214.