What happens when someone witnesses yobbishness or anti-social behaviour? In too many cases, unfortunately, they do nothing.

Of course, people must always think carefully before intervening directly because that could be putting themselves at risk.

But they could and should report such matter to the appropriate authority, yet often don’t.

Perhaps this is because some people believe that it is not worth their while as nothing will come of it.

Yet if ordinary members of the public do not take an interest in their community and come forward whenever problems occur, how can they expect the police, Council and others to do anything about them?

Even with the best will in the world, officers cannot be everywhere at once and must rely on the public, at least to some extent, to bring problems to their attention.

Now villagers, the business community, local representatives and police officers in one area of the district are trying to encourage more residents to report bad behaviour whenever it happens in a bid to crack down on the yobs.

It is a promising initiative and a fine example of people working together for the common good.

Whether it will be a success or not depends on whether those whose normal response to anti-social behaviour is to put up and shut up are persuaded to tell the police about it.

They certainly have nothing to lose by doing so, and a lot to gain.