A WARDEN who helped turn around a plagued Kidderminster estate - where people were "afraid to go to the shops" - has been honoured with a national award.

Robert Kautzner, 47, was commended for "breaking up the gang culture that was creating a wide range of anti-social behaviour" in Comberton and Offmore at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's 2004 Warden Achievement Awards.

Mr Kautzner, who steered a £200,000 initiative to refurbish the play area at Borrington Road, was the joint winner of the community engagement award, the top accolade handed out at the ceremony, at the Metropole Hotel in Birmingham.

The Lickhill, Stourport, resident: "It feels like a token for all the hard work I have put in. I would say a big thank you for the help and support the community has given me."

Mr Kautzner was appointed by Wyre Forest Community Housing as a neighbourhood warden two years ago and immediately began a quest to clean up the area.

He said: "Residents were afraid to go to the shops or the church because the gangs would meet there and intimidate them.

"It was bad, the shops were thinking of closing because they were losing trade, the church was being damaged and gangs were intimidating people, smoking, drinking, fighting, smashing bottles.

"What I helped to do was bring the community together to deal with that."

He acted as a "bobby on the beat, but with no powers", speaking to gangs and residents alike.

Crucially, Mr Kautzner helped police bring a total of five anti-social behaviour orders against youths - court orders which threaten custody if the bad behaviour continued.

"Those kids have now moved on and grown up. I have become friends with some," he said, adding: "The ringleaders got the ASBOs and the rest melted into the background."

He said the Borrington Road park, opened in July, was a symbol of the spirit of co-operation in the area and had been a major success.

"We got the first meeting together and it just progressed from there."

Wyre Forest Community Housing chief executive, Ray Brookes, said: "I believe that Rob epitomises the spirit of neighbourhood wardens. He works with the community to resolve problems rather than presenting them with a solution."