YOU'LL have had a very narrow view of life in the Faithful City if the effect of yobbish behaviour on the health and happiness of St John's residents has passed you by.

Victims have pointed a firm finger at a hard core of University College Worcester students who, they're adamant, appear to believe that being bad neighbours is a part of growing up away from home.

It's important to say that not all the vandalism and disruption is down to UCW, as the route to Henwick Road is an easy cut-through to other early-morning destinations.

But it is the place where a telling proportion of the St John's problems can be tackled in a concerted way.

Today - the day on which the Home Office has ordered a secret "snapshot" of loutish behaviour across Britain - we report UCW's determination to nip the problem in the bud at the start of a new term.

Along with a welcome to Worcester - a greeting we should all extend, for there are many responsible and community-minded students arriving in the Faithful City - they've given a stark warning.

"Any UCW student proven to be involved in anti-social behaviour will face disciplinary action from the college authorities," it goes.

Our own "snapshot" of residents suggests that there's optimism in St John's about the new term being better than those before.

It leaves us with several hopes; that such optimism isn't misplaced; that college managers will come down hard on yobs; and that police do the same with those outside of UCW who also think it's acceptable to make strangers' lives hell.