A TEXT messaging service is to be piloted by Swindon Council in a bid to stamp out anti-social behaviour in the town.

Three hundred council workers will spend the next few months trialling the system, which will initially focus on graffiti.

And if it proves successful, the council plans to roll out the scheme to include other forms of anti-social behaviour.

The council hopes the text message hotline will ensure its graffiti removal team will be able to respond to new acts of vandalism more quickly.

Steve Harcourt, the council's director of environment and health said the system would convert text messages into emails which the graffiti team could read on their computer.

He said: "We were thinking, how can we make it as easy as possible for people to report graffiti?

"We have been working a lot to tackle graffiti, with the help of the police and the Advertiser.

"Because of the successful campaign we have seen less graffiti returning after it is removed.

"One of the things that does help is swift removal. If they don't see their handiwork around very long then it discourages them from doing it. But we want to be certain it works."

During the trial period, council employees will use the text number to report any fresh spray paint they see around town.

And the council will look at whether the text service helps get graffiti removed quicker, prevent it returning and reduce the amount of vandalism in the town.

It will also test whether the six-person graffiti team would be able to cope with responding to the messages as well as their existing duties.

"Additional resources for graffiti removal have already been put in place, and should cover this as well," said Mr Harcourt.

"Depending on how successful it is we could review how long the trial lasts.

"If it goes well we could try to implement the system across the borough to include other forms of anti-social behaviour.

"We decided to focus on graffiti to start with as it is a really hot topic at the moment. But if it works we could extend it gradually to cover other problems across the borough."

Several other council across the country have already got text messaging services for people to report nuisance offences.

In Gravesham, in Kent, people can tell their council about problems with litter, bins, cars and fraud as well as graffiti.

In Manchester a range of anti-social offences can be reported.

Gosport and St Albans councils also have texting systems and in Fareham, in Hampshire, people can use their camera phones to send pictures of the damage.

Mr Harcourt said the scheme in Swindon had not been copied from any one particular council.

If all goes according to plan, Swindon Council is hoping to introduce the service on a free- phone number later in the year.