A MAJOR operation to crack down on antisocial behaviour and clean up the streets in part of York city centre has had an “amazing response” from residents.

North Yorkshire Police joined forces yesterday morning with DVLA and environmental health officials, and volunteers from the council-run York Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (YACRO), in an operation which targeted everything from motoring offences to litter in the city’s Walmgate area.

PC Jonathan Hodgeon, of the Guildhall Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “It was fantastic – we have had an amazing repsonse.

“YACRO has been absolutley fantastic and they have cleaned out all Dick Turpin’s graveyard. There was litter and bottles from drinking and a couple of needles.

“They also picked up 15 industrial-sized bin bags of leaves and made the place look a lot better.

“But the best thing for me is that the public have realy enjoyed it. People got a real sense of civic pride out of it.” As well as the clean-up operation, a clampdown on traffic offences in the area saw ten cyclists being handed tickets for riding on the pavement, one car clamped for a tax disc offence and one driver given a £60 fixed penalty notice for driving without a seatbelt.

Throughout the morning, local residents were invited to take part in the clearing up or talk to those involved.

Lesley Bowes, the chairman of Navigation and Walmgate Community Association, was one of those who rolled up her sleeves to help with the clean-up.

She said: “This is a brilliant idea and I hope there will be more of it in the future.

“I saw one car being clamped, but this is not just about crime – it’s about keeping the area a nice place to live.”

The activities were part of the Home Office’s Not In My Neighbourhood campaign.

Similar events were happening throughout North Yorkshire, including a blitz on vehicle related antisocial behaviour at the Eastgate car park, in Pickering, on Friday.