Community action appeal to public

People in a Shropshire community have been asked to help after residents formed a group to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The Improve Brookside Group in part of Telford has been doing litter picks and helping police and council officials target their resources effectively.

Telford & Wrekin Council said it was trying to "engage the community".

People could report things to the authority and hopefully influence the rest of the community, it added.

'Put forward'

Jacqui Seymour, cabinet member for adults and community protection at the council, said: "We can come in and we can clear up and we can move things away and put fires out.

"But as soon as we turn our backs it all happens again. So we're trying to take a different approach and engage the community.

"Then they can put forward ideas to us as to how they want to see things happen."

Bill Walton, from the Improve Brookside Group, said problems over drinking were "particularly bad this year during the summer months."

He said: "It really puts off some of the older residents from coming into the centre to do the shopping because of swearing and being accosted."