DISPERSAL orders to crack down on anti-social behaviour have been hailed a success.

Disorder in the Dyke House area of Hartlepool has halved and crime in general has also been reduced.

The order, which operated in Dyke House from November 7 to December 6, gave officers the power to disperse groups of youths acting in a manner which was causing harassment, alarm or distress. It operated daily, between 9pm and 6am.

Statistics show that during November, 45 incidents of disorder were reported, compared with a peak of 100 in August.

Incidents of criminal damage fell from 35 in October to 11 during the period of the order. The number of house burglaries, which were already declining, fell to just two last month and offences of violence almost halved, from 20 in October to 11.

A total of 110 warning letters were issued by the Hartlepool Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, and there was just one arrest for failure to disperse.

Hartlepool Police Community Safety Inspector Peter Knights said: "Use of intelligence and carefully targeted patrols to implement the dispersal order were significant factors in reducing disorder and other offending.

"These statistics prove how the careful use of specific powers can reduce the public's fear of crime and disorder.

"High-profile policing conducted in a firm but fair manner, with the support of the public, can have a positive impact upon people's lives.

"Feedback from the public was encouraged, and people have told us that the dispersal order certainly made the area a better place to live."

Alison Mawson, Hartlepool Borough Council's head of community safety and prevention, said: "We are delighted with the impact of the dispersal order, and we will be looking to build upon its success by considering longer-term preventative measures."