FOUR North-East councils will be told today to identify their 50 worst problems caused by yobs - and ban those responsible from the streets.

Middlesbrough, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Newcastle will be named among 50 action areas where a get-tough approach to anti-social behaviour will be tried out.

They will be urged to draw up an action plan to focus their efforts on the worst trouble-spots by developing a culture of intolerance. They will be given Home Office help to gather the evidence necessary to obtain anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) against the culprits.

The get-tough policy comes days after figures showed that more than a third of all Asbos are breached by yobs.

New measures are likely to include dedicated anti-social behaviour helplines, and teams of officials to respond immediately to complaints by interviewing witnesses and building a legal case.

Many of the action areas will have fast-track criminal courts that specialise in tackling anti-social behaviour.

Techniques used in criminal trials to protect victims and witnesses from intimidation - screens, live video links and video-recorded testimony - will be extended to anti-social behaviour cases.

The announcement will come as Home Secretary David Blunkett unveils a One Year On report, a review of the impact of recent anti-social behaviour legislation.

It is expected to show a big rise in the number of Asbos obtained and name local authorities that are failing to use the powers.

Six North-East councils - Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland, Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley - failed to obtain a single Asbo in the 12 months to March 2004.

Since then, Darlington has taken a far tougher approach to the problem.

Up to that date, in North Yorkshire, the powers had never been used in Harrogate, Richmondshire, Rydale or Scarborough.