POLICE have praised people living in Orlin Road, Colwall, for standing up to a neighbour who terrorised and intimidated residents.

Stuart Malcolm Hitchings was given an anti-social behaviour order for four years at Hereford Magistrates' Court, after he admitted acting in an anti-social manner since January 3.

A catalogue of incidents outlined to the court included the use of foul and abusive language, violence towards neighbours, revving his car for excessively long periods, lighting foul-smelling bonfires and urinating in a garden.

Sgt Phil Edwards, of Herefordshire Police, said residents deserved a lot of credit for the successful outcome of the Hitchings case.

"There have been prolonged incidents of anti-social behaviour and it has taken a lot of courage for the people to stand up," he said. "There was a lot of hard work put into the case and the biggest test was reassuring the community we were doing our best to deal with it."

Sgt Edwards also praised the efforts of Alison Dore, community safety officer for the Ledbury section.

Sgt Edwards said anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) were very much in their infancy. However, he thought the outcome of the Hitchings case would send out a strong message to individuals and communities.

"We're now up to nine ASBOs in the county but the anti-social behaviour order is always the final step in a lengthy process," he said. "We mainly resolve the matters before the final step.

"Anti-social behaviour is a very serious matter and we try to prevent it from getting to the final step. Herefordshire as a whole is a nice place in which to live. We do have anti-social behaviour in pockets in the county but we try to avoid the orders if we can."

Sgt Edwards said the test of any anti-social behaviour order was always in its enforcement.

"It depends on how it is received and whether it is taken seriously or not," he said. "If an order is breached, then we have to deal with it in an appropriate way."