NEARLY 300 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers in a Gwent town after a zero-tolerance campaign was launched.

Police in Blackwood handed out the fines over the last two months to boy-racers causing havoc in the town centre.

Officers say the crackdown on youths' anti-social behaviour is having results.

Residents have been plagued for years by young people racing up and down the High Street and roads around it, and by large groups congregating in town centre car parks.

The crackdown is part of an ongoing operation aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour. Officers reported a decrease in complaints at a recent council meeting, and say they are working with other agencies as part of the Community Safety Partnership in their efforts to target yobs.

Sergeant Ian Muirhead said: "Nearly 300 fixed penalty notices have now been issued for offences of anti-social driving.

"The positive action the partnership has taken to address the issue has been effective and the partnership is continuing its discussions regarding further action to tackle this issue."

Town council clerk Ivor Palmer said: "I'm extremely pleased the police are taking the matter seriously but it's a long-term exercise that's needed - short interludes of activity don't deal with the problem in the long run."

A town centre resident who asked not to be named said: "There's been an improvement but they're slowly starting up again. It needs zero tolerence 100 per cent of the time."