THE launch of a campaign to help clean up a troubled part of Worcester blighted by anti-social behaviour has been hailed a major success.

Nearly 100 Ronkswood residents, both young and old, came out in force on Saturday morning to take part in the tidy-up operation, collecting nearly three tonnes of rubbish from the shops area in Lichfield Avenue.

The exercise was part of the Put The Heart Back Into Ronkswood campaign - being launched by groups including the police, Worcester City Council, the county council, Worcester Community Housing, local stores and youth groups in a bid to get residents to take more pride in where they live.

City council staff were also on hand manning street sweepers, alongside the two community support officers for the area who helped out litter-picking.

Worcester Community Housing staff were also out in force identifying gardens with excess waste in them and police were targeting abandoned or un-taxed vehicles.

Sgt Chris Allen, anti-social behaviour co-ordinator for the South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership, said it had been a real community effort.

He added: "It's gone brilliantly - we've had a very good turnout from the community and this makes a really good start to the campaign."

The clean-up comes after police were forced to apply for Section 30 Dispersal Order powers to tackle young tearaways in the area, following complaints from residents. And after all their hard work, those involved were treated to chip butties - with the local Co-Op providing the bread and Ronkswood Fish Bar the chips.

Manpreet Sandhu, a worker at the family-run fish bar, said she was delighted how it had gone.

She added: "Hopefully it'll bring people together a bit more.

"A lot of the young kids who you'd expect stereotypically to be the people who cause the problems are the ones who've been out there picking up the rubbish - it's been fabulous."

Organisers have already planned another tidy-up in the area for the morning of Saturday, December 3, meeting at 9.30am in Lichfield Avenue.

Steam cleaners are also due to target the area this week to remove unsightly graffiti.

Local Councillor Mike Layland urged as many people as possible to come and help out.

He said: "The paving area around the Co-Op has never looked so clean but we need this to continue and want the local people to help us."