CRIME-FIGHTING agencies are being called upon by residents to tackle the growing problem of public disorder before it ruins their towns.More than 170 people replied to an invitation to give their views on the top priorities for tackling crime in the Suffolk Coastal area.

CRIME-FIGHTING agencies are being called upon by residents to tackle the growing problem of public disorder before it ruins their towns.

More than 170 people replied to an invitation to give their views on the top priorities for tackling crime in the Suffolk Coastal area.

Felixstowe, Woodbridge and Leiston had already been identified by the Suffolk Coastal Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership as having the worst crime rates, while neighbouring villages were relatively crime-free.

But latest figures unveiled by Suffolk police showed Woodbridge town centre had the third highest rate of disturbances in Suffolk and was the seventh worst place for public disorder.

The views of householders and organisations have been taken into account by the partnership in drawing up the main priorities for the next three years.

The prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and youth nuisance was given top priority, followed by tackling violence and then drug and alcohol related crime.

Suffolk Coastal District Council, the county council and the police also want to target domestic violence, racial harassment, vehicle crime, burglary and cycle thefts in the area as part of their strategy.

In Suffolk Coastal there were 5,322 offences in a 12-month period with the most common offences being criminal damage. This accounted for more than 1,400 of the reported incidents. The crime rate per 1,000 residents was 45.6 compared with a national average of 98.1.

Saxmundham, west Felixstowe, the Kyson ward of Woodbridge and Leiston all had a rate of domestic violence worse than the county average.