A NEW initiative to help stamp out unruly behaviour on housing estates across Thornaby was launched yesterday.

Local beat officers have secured eight radio sets, which will be given to people in the community who have a history of problems with youngsters causing nuisance and vandalism in their area.

Residents who use them do not need a licence and pay no call charges.

Sergeant Brian Boulton, a local beat officer from Thornaby said: "We are hoping these radios will be a real benefit to those people in the community who suffer from incidents of anti-social behaviour.

"They are not intended to replace the telephone when police are needed in an emergency but will be a convenient way of keeping in touch with local officers on the beat."

At present people wishing to alert the police to an incident of anti-social behaviour have to go through the control room, and are often not seen by a police officer until two or three hours later.

With these new radio sets it is hoped beat officers will be on the scene five to ten minutes later.

Sgt Boulton said: "The radios will give residents an extra piece of mind.

"At the moment burglaries and other more serious crimes do take precedence, but with these sets we can have someone there as soon as possible."

The radios can also used by the beat officers to communicate with each other whilst they are out on the streets without using valuable airtime on the main police radio system.

Small businesses and shopkeepers can also use the sets to report any incidents of harassment.

The radios, which cost £70 each, have been funded by Thornaby Town Council and Thornaby and District Neighbourhood Watch. They work in a two-mile radius, do not need a licence, and users pay no call charges.

Sgt Boulton said: "It is hoped that more sponsorship can be found in the future to buy extra radios and accessories to improve the service we provide and increase public confidence in the police."