MALVERN residents have stepped forward to help with a new scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town.

Six people have offered their assistance to Worcester City Council's Rapid Response Anti-social Behaviour Team, following an appeal for volunteers in the Malvern Gazette.

The team works with the police and other agencies to fight problems caused by youngsters, from vandalism to noise disturbance, through talking to offenders and trying to understand their situation.

Following success in Worcester, the initiative is looking to cover a wider area and needs Malvern people to provide local knowledge and assistance.

Team leader Ann Nicholls said there had been a good response to the volunteer appeal and the new recruits would be receiving training over the next few weeks.

She said: "It's quiet at the moment but we'll be there if and when they need us. At the end of the day, they (the youngsters) are getting frustrated and the local community is getting frustrated. We're there to help everyone understand what's going on and find a solution."

Ms Nicholls said they hoped eventually to have about 20 volunteers in the Malvern area.

If you are interested in joining the team, call 01905 722065.