ALAN MILBURN yesterday pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour on a Darlington estate as fed-up residents highlighted their concerns.

The town's MP and Labour policy supremo addressed community leaders and residents of the Firthmoor area on the subject yesterday afternoon.

He was at Maidendale House to reveal the results of a survey on anti-social behaviour that he had previously sent to 1,120 residents on the estate.

Nearly 200 responses were received and the majority called for tougher action to be taken against the offenders.

The survey showed that people on the estate considered intimidating gangs of youths in the area to be their biggest worry.

Nuisance neighbours, graffiti and irresponsible use of fireworks were also said to be major problems.

In response, Mr Milburn vowed to press police to use new Home Office powers to disperse gangs, ask Darlington Borough Council to shut down noisy premises and evict tenants causing trouble.

But the MP and Chief Superintendent Michael Banks, of Darlington police, were also grilled at the meeting by residents of Westminster Road.

The street is said to account for the majority of complaints received on Firthmoor and homeowners blame the troubles on the lack of security cameras.

One resident said: "If we report incidents to the police, we get retaliation - petrol bombs and windows put through.

"We are being completely let down. We need better lighting and we need cameras."

Another said: "We have a lot of elderly people who are scared to go out on a night."

Chief Supt Banks said local officers would investigate the complaints, while Mr Milburn said he would raise the issue of cameras with the council.

Mr Milburn said: "It is perfectly obvious that there is a big concern in the community and we have to find a way of dealing with it.

"We must all work together to weed out the trouble-makers and there is no shortage of support to do this."