POLICE say a crackdown on anti-social behaviour is working.

North Yorkshire Police say that their on-going operation to tackle a recent spike in anti-social behaviour and other crimes in Ripon is already showing results.

The force's Inspector Alex Langley said: “It’s early days but over the weekend we saw a significant reduction in such incidents, and we continue to see similar levels as we move through half-term – usually one of our busiest periods.

“The public are our eyes and ears and we received a small number of reports of issues over the weekend which enabled us to respond and deal with each quickly and effectively. Our message to our communities is please keep reporting matters and intelligence to us and we will take the necessary actions – thank you.

“We also saw a reduction in the number of young people out on the streets across the weekend and would like to thank those parents and guardians who continue to support their young people and reinforce that stay home, stay safe message.

“We are actively patrolling. The dedicated operation has seen an increased police presence in and around the city, some more visible than others, and extra teams drafted in to help deter offenders, prevent crime and we continue to enforce where necessary.

“We know that our phones lines can sometimes be busy but did you know that you can request a call back from us on 101. Just press 1 and leave your details and we’ll get back in touch with you, to save you hanging on the phone. If you need us in an emergency, always dial 999.

“Lastly, I’d like to take this opportunity to once again thank our communities who continue to follow the lockdown rules and are playing their part in keeping everybody and the community safe. We will provide updates to our ongoing investigations as and when we can.”