Wroughton's worst area for anti-social behaviour has been given a total clean-up.

Swindon Police's Rural Area Neighbourhood policing team organised the day of scrubbing graffiti at the Weir Field recreation ground to try to break the cycle of nuisance crime at the trouble hot spot.

Wroughton PCSO Melonie Neal said: "Each week we identify problem areas for anti-social behaviour across all of the rural areas and Weir Field is always in the top three.

"This is a really bad spot for graffiti and drug use.

"The changing room and Guide hut walls are always covered in graffiti and we have found hypodermic needles in the play area.

"It is mainly youngsters mucking about, but by making it look nicer we hope it will deter the kids from messing it up again.

"It will also hopefully encourage other people to start using the area."

PCSO Neal said new street lamps installed by the parish council had helped to reduce crime at the recreation ground, which was previously very dark and secluded, perfect for encouraging crime.

Neighbourhood wardens from across the Swindon area helped with the clean-up.

Warden Ray Woodfield said: "There is a lot of graffiti all over the area.

"Some of it is old, but most of it has been done recently since it was last cleaned up."

PCSOs Rob Earles and Mark Chivers got to work on tags daubed in marker pen on the changing room shutters with ordinary household window cleaner.

"Most of the pens are chalk-based, so window cleaner is pretty effective at getting it off," explained Mr Woodfield.

Neighbourhood warden Ian Marsh, who used a broom to tackle larger areas of spray paint, said: "It is much easier to get fresher paint off.

"The problem is there are so many kids out there putting this stuff up it can be like fighting a losing battle."

Alan Sage, who lives next to the play area, said he was pleased to see the area cleaned up.

"There are kids over there drinking until one o'clock in the morning. I don't stand for any nonsense, but there were about 20 of them out there one night making a racket. I was going to go and sort them out, but my wife said don't you dare'.

"The council came and painted over all the graffiti on my wall before, but it was back within a couple of weeks."

l Goddard Avenue in Old Town was targetted by graffiti taggers at the weekend. NADS and HYC tags were sprayed on walls and vehicles.

Anyone with information about the taggers is asked to call the Adver-backed graffiti hotline on 01793 501880.