POLICE say they have put the lid on problems with troublemakers in Leominster streets with new powers permitting them to order crowds to disperse.

Groups of noisy and abusive youths loitering in the town centre made some townspeople afraid to venture out in the evenings this summer.

"The new powers only became available to our officers in Leominster earlier this month but already they are having an effect," said police spokesman Neil Tipton. "There has been no repeat of the widescale disorder we saw before - we've put the lid on."

On Monday evening police responded to complaints and dispersed a group of 13 people in the town centre. There was no more trouble.