POLICE plan to recruit two Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Wareham to target antisocial behaviour hotspots and provide high-visibility policing at weekends.

Community support officers, local volunteers and special constables will support regular police constables in teams designed to tackle crime and disorder in areas identified by the community.

Eastern Division Commander Supt Lynn Hart revealed the plans at a town council meeting after councillors complained there were not enough officers in the town on Friday and Saturday nights.

Purbeck district councillor for Wareham David Budd said: "It's the age-old problem of trying to get more bobbies back on the beat.

"The vast majority of young people are fine, but elderly people often feel threatened by the high spirits of youngsters on a night out who are just having fun.

"But if there is high-visibility policing, that is usually enough to make sure everybody, including the small minority of troublemakers, behave themselves."

The government-backed scheme to make streets, estates and villages around the country safer has already proved a success in Wimborne and Verwood, and a team has now also been set up in Swanage.

Supt Hart said: "Of course the town wants more police officers, but unfortunately I cannot do that.

"What we can do is maximise what we have already got, listen to the community and prioritise their needs.

"We hope the teams will respond to key issues that affect the community. Most people seem satisfied with the way we deal with serious crimes like burglary and robbery, but hopefully the teams will help us tackle anti-social behaviour crimes that cause people a great deal of distress."