Banbury's worst young criminals is paying off, according to the leader of a project designed to crack the problem.

A partnership of the police, councillors and public sector groups has been formed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

Pc Rebecca Burnell, based at Cherwell District Council's offices at Bodicote, who is leading the project, said a small number of young offenders were responsible for the majority of crime and poor behaviour.

She said: "When trouble occurred, the same names came to the fore.

"It was decided that one person should head a project to improve communications between the police and other agencies such as the youth offending team, youth service, environmental health, housing, housing charities, social services, Crown Prosecution Service, courts, and the probation service.

"The aim is to either divert youngsters from crime and anti-social activities, or get sentencing from courts that are appropriate to offences. "The scheme shows the effectiveness of the partnership between Thames Valley Police and the council."

She started the project in January this year. She said her work had yet to be evaluated, but the early signs were that it was successful.

Pc Burnell has been in the police force for 10 years and has worked with young people on child protection issues and as a schools officer.

She was the first police officer in the Thames Valley to be involved in this type of work. West Oxfordshire has just started a similar scheme.

Young people most likely to offend were school-leavers who did not find jobs or go on to further education, said Pc Burnell.

The reasons were a lack of confidence or a lack of application which led to the easier path of hanging around the streets and being dragged into crime, nuisance or drugs.

The project, which emerged from the schools and youth programme, is financed by the police and Cherwell District Council's community safety funds.