POLICE attempts to stop yob behaviour in a rural area were hailed as a success yesterday.

Bad behaviour by young people has been reduced by two-thirds during the seven-week Operation Capone in Barnard Castle and surrounding villages.

Sergeant Bill Dutton, who led the police operation, said: "We are delighted with the results, because it means the local residents have been spared from a great deal of needless trouble."

He said Teesdale now has one of the lowest rates of crime and disorder, including anti-social behaviour, in the country, and a number of new youth activities are helping to maintain this.

Incidents of youths causing annoyance through rowdy conduct fell from 59 in summer last year to 19 this year, a reduction of 68 per cent. Complaints about young people causing minor damage, a nuisance with vehicles and underage drinking dropped from ten to four, a 60 per cent fall.

Police concentrated their patrols on ten hotspots, which have become trouble areas over the years. One person has been reported for possible prosecution for supplying drinks to underage youths, and three arrests were made for minor criminal damage.

In all, police made 395 patrols around the ten hotspots during the operation.