The number of recorded incidents in Corby between March 2007 and January this year has fallen by eight per cent compared with last year's figures.

Officers of the area's safer community team have praised youth workers Ellen Hughes and Karen Dawson for helping to reduce trouble.

The pair, both aged 34, go out on patrols on Wednesday and Friday evenings and speak to youngsters on the street.

The youth workers have plenty of experience in looking after children – Mrs Dawson has three children, while Mrs Hughes has four.

Both live in Cecil Drive, on the Exeter estate.

Mrs Dawson said: "I think the work has contributed to the fall in anti-social behaviour.

"We find young people know what they want and Ellen and I can help with that in doing all we possibly can to help.

"If they need anything they can come to us."

Sgt Julie Mead said: "The statistics show a drop in anti-social behaviour.

"They keep a record of everybody they speak to.

"It's about interaction with young people."

Police logged 204 fewer incidents of anti-social behaviour for the March to January period than for the same eight months in 2006/7.

Groundwork North Northamptonshire and Land Securities put forward £10,000 last year to fund the workers, who patrol the Exeter estate, Corby town centre and West Glebe Park.

Due to requests from youngsters they have met, there is now a football tournament and also a music project in the pipeline.

Ann Marie Lawson, youth development worker for Groundwork North Northamptonshire, said: "It's based around consulting with young people about what they want.

"We're making sure that it is done on young people's terms.

"The majority of their work is at West Glebe Park.

"People from different areas of the town congregate at the park."

The nuisance hotspot will be the first to benefit from one of five talking CCTV cameras due to be installed within the next few weeks.