COMMUNITIES need to pull together to beat anti-social behaviour, according to a police officer.

Sgt Graham Waring, of Warrington East neighbourhood policing unit, was speaking at a meeting of Fearnhead's neighbourhood watch group.

He said the police needed to work with councillors, the fire service, health workers, the education system and local people to stand a chance of combating anti-social behaviour in the area.

"We all need to be involved," he said.

Community action meetings are set to become community engagement forums', where everyone who has a stake in the community, such as Golden Gates housing or the primary care trust, will be invited to attend.

"These people are responsible for your community too, not just us on our own," said Sgt Waring.

"We are the smallest cog," he said.

Sgt Waring vowed to ensure his officers do better when responding to calls from the public.

"Something we have not been good at in the past is getting back to you later on and saying thanks for the information and telling you what it has led to," he said, promising a change in the future.

Derek Lockie, police inspector for Warrington East, has even taken car keys off his officers to force them out on the beat, Sgt Waring said.

"We are finding a lot more people and stopping a lot more kids because we are on foot and on bikes.

"We have made some outstanding arrests, including one in Woolston, because of this," he said.

Residents at the meeting spoke out to demand a better place to live.

"We need to get our community back, we need to work together. We are not letting a small percentage of people ruin where we live," said one.

Fearnhead has been in the spotlight since the murder of Garry Newlove last August, and residents say it is time to focus on the positive.