Is it the end of the road for anti-social behaviour?

And it is thanks to help from residents that problems and issues have been identified.

The newly formed Anti-Social Behaviour Group, with members from the police, Congleton Borough Council, Dane Housing, youth offending teams, the education authority, social services and other agencies, met for the first time last week.

And members say it is not just a talking shop, as they want to find long term solutions to problems in the community and fast.

Problems with traffic and HGV parking in Brooks Lane, Middlewich, that have been highlighted by residents are some of the issues that the group wants to tackle first.

Complaints have been received from residents about the amount of traffic using Brook Lane to by-pass the town centre.

Concerns have also been raised about the amount of lorries and HGVs that use the road, as a lay-by for overnights stops and the amount of litter generated.

Sgt Gareth Woods, of the Middlewich Community Action Team (CAT), said: "There are problems with lorries parking on Brooks Lane and we will be working together, and with residents, to identify problems and come up with the best solutions.

"Some ideas are good for the long term, others for the short term.

"Ultimately it will be a case of looking at what we can do to solve a problem."

In September last year a 54-year-old lorry driver had a narrow escape when the pellets of chemicals in the back of his lorry, which was parked up in Brooks Lane, burst into flames while he was asleep.

He was woken by another driver and managed to escape.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Group is the latest weapon in the campaign against street yobs, disruptive neighbours, and other forms of anti-social behaviour in the Congleton borough.

The aim of the group is to identify current problems, draw up plans to tackle them, decide which agencies should be involved, then take swift action.

The meetings will be held weekly to ensure information is right up to date.

jdriscoll@guaridangrp.co.uk