GOVERNMENT officials fighting against anti-social behaviour will visit the region next week to look at local campaigns to reduce yobbish antics.

The Government's Respect team will visit Stockton on Monday to see some of the council's award-winning programmes to combat the problem.

Following on from this week's launch of the Respect action plan, by Prime Minister Tony Blair, they will meet Stockton Borough Council's community safety team at the Arc.

There, they will be shown the award-winning Think B4U Drink DVD and the anti-social behaviour team's Respect Yourself Respect Others DVD.

The visitors will also have the chance to meet the actors in that DVD - pupils from Grangefield School.

A graffiti removal kit will also be on display to show them how it is used by the council, police, fire officers and resident groups to remove unsightly graffiti quickly.

Councillor Paul Kirton, Stockton council's cabinet member for community protection, said: "We are delighted to have been asked to host this visit and proud that we can demonstrate that we are already working in line with the new Respect agenda."

Marilyn Davies, Stockton council's community safety manager, said: "The anti-social behaviour team already provides a rounded response to anti-social behaviour covering prevention, support and enforcement and we welcome the challenge to deliver some of the actions in the Respect action plan."