POLICE say the tough approach taken yesterday to try to rid Blackburn's Highercroft area of gangs of teenage troublemakers is only a start.

Fines and orders to stop them congregating will follow all through August and police will be highly visible as patrols are increased.

It's the sort of hard-hitting approach that has already been used in some parts of the country against other scourges of our society like drug dealers.

Some might say that such intimidating action is frightening for school-age boys.

They would be wrong.

Youngsters who set fire to buildings, break into homes and steal and vandalise cars are an affront to all law-abiding citizens.

Of course, police intelligence needs to be accurate but offenders deserve to be shaken up so that they realise their actions are not just some sort of lark carried out by yobs who think they are tough guys.

The police need to show them that those on the right side of the law are tough too - and a similar message needs to be sent out right across East Lancashire.

Then their neighbours can live peacefully without having to constantly worry about their possessions and look over their shoulders for fear of being robbed.