POLICE have defended their record of cracking down on loutish youths after a town mayor claimed the problem was "beyond a joke".

Andrew Robinson, the civic leader of Thirsk, said a large group of youngsters had been causing chaos in the town recently.

At the latest town council meeting, he said he was determined to attend a meeting about the issue next week in an effort to eradicate the problem.

Hambleton community safety groups, as well as police chiefs, will be at Tuesday's meeting and Councillor Robinson said: "I want to go because anti-social behaviour in the Market Place is getting beyond a joke.

"It is a no-go area near the Late Shopper and this is causing mayhem."

The nuisance actions of the youths has been a long-standing topic of debate in Thirsk, with Coun Robinson saying that the same group of about 20 was causing the trouble.

But Inspector Val Broadley, of Thirsk police, said crime figures showed that they had been extremely successful in tackling the problem in recent months.

Incidents involving "nuisance youths" totalled 25 in April, 17 in May, 14 in June, eight in July and four in the first fortnight of August - a clear decline.

"We did arrest three youths who admitted to 18 burglaries and, after we arrested those three, it calmed down for a while," said Insp Broadley.

"What we are going to say at the meeting is that things appear to have quietened down considerably.

"But the problem the police have is that there is next to nothing in the town by way of facilities.

"They congregate round the town hall, but if we move them to the swimming baths, they're not welcome, if we move them to the Flatts, they're not welcome.

"But the main thing will be to say that something positive is happening.

"My guys have done a good job in getting all this under control.