Teenagers in a part of Cornwall are facing a curfew in a police crackdown on troublemakers.

Anyone under the age of 16 in Redruth must be indoors by 9pm.

Parents have signed up to the voluntary scheme in the hope it will cut down anti-social behaviour.

Operation Goodnight is to run over the school summer holidays until September 7.

Around 600 homes in part of Redruth, west Cornwall, have received letters about the curfew - which is part of an ongoing campaign to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The letters asked parents in the Close Hill area of Redruth to ensure that their 16-year-olds were off the streets by 9pm and under-10s were at home by 8pm.

The chairman of the local Helping Hands Residents' Association, Ann Mitchell, said before the launch: "The scheme has started to work already. There are less problems with children late at night."

Another organiser, Redruth town councillor Clive Bray, said ahead of the launch he thought more parents were already taking more responsibility for their children than before.

Neighbourhood beat manager PC Marc Griffin said the the thrust of the police-led, multi-agency scheme was "putting the responsibility back into the family home."

Multi-agency patrols will be out on the streets, talking to parents and carers of any young people found out after the curfew times.

"If it is felt that the child is at risk or remains vulnerable then referrals to other appropriate agencies will be made as necessary," said PC Griffin.

At the other end of the country, Northumbria Chief Constable Mike Craik said adults should be willing to confront young people who are misbehaving in public.

Mr Craik said a cultural change was needed because adults were "too frightened" - particularly of knives - to get involved.

"I think in principle people should challenge, they should say something and they should do something, particularly if you're not alone and there's two or more of you together," he said.

"That scenario of kids misbehaving on the bus and all the adults not daring to say anything - that's the culture we need to change.

"And I would advise people: yes, if you think you should and you think you can, then say something."

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