ANTI-social behaviour has been halved in one area of Worcester and reduced by a third in another thanks to tough enforcement measures.

But residents of Nunnery Wood and St Peter's hope that the end of a six-month Section 30 dispersal order will not mark the return of bad behaviour.

Following a period of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the areas, police officers were given additional powers to break up groups of troublemakers and ban them from returning for up to 24 hours.

The orders came to an end on Sunday, with West Mercia Constabulary recording a 47 per cent drop in incidents in the Nunnery Wood area, and more than a 33 per cent drop in incidents in St Peter's, compared with the previous six months. As they have been so successful, the orders will not be renewed.

Coun Mike Layland said everyone living near County Hall, where the Nunnery Wood order was in force, was delighted with the results.

"There's been a marked difference," he said. "There's still little pockets of trouble but that's to be expected.

"The only problem is that the trouble seems to move on, and the police have to remain vigilant and impose these orders elsewhere to let these yobs know that their behaviour will not be tolerated."

St Peter's resident Harriet Morris, of Ransome Avenue, said she also feared groups of troublemakers could return.

"You don't get so many kids hanging about," said the 30-year-old housewife.

"But if the groups know it's ended they could come back."

Fish and chip shop manager Zacharis Lydra said that he wished that the order could continue to keep the peace.

"It did help quieten the place down and problems disappeared for a while," said the 30-year-old of St Peter's. "I think the parish could suffer now it's finished."

Worcester anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Sgt Chris Allen reassured residents the situation would be closely monitored.

"Dispersal zones are legislated to be a temporary measure and are imposed only where there is clear evidence of significant or persistent problems," he said.

"Should further problems develop, new orders can quickly be imposed.

"The volume of reported anti-social behaviour in the current Section 30 Order areas has continued to fall since the end of the summer holidays and new orders are therefore not justified."