Survey: Forty per cent of people think police need MORE powers to deal with anti-social behaviour

A survey of 1,000 people for BBC Radio 5Live showed most people think the police are performing well and crime is not a big problem where they live.

But while most thought officers had enough powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, a sizeable minority - more than 40% - thought they did not.

Police officers on a housing estate in Laindon, Essex, take a pro-active approach to anti-social behaviour, which has been praised for reducing incidents

The poll, carried out across England, Wales and Scotland, revealed that more than 70% thought the police were doing a good job, while more than 60% said crime was not a real problem in their area.

The study, conducted by Populus, comes as the Government prepares to announce tough new measures to deal with drunken youths causing trouble on the nation's streets.

Youths who regularly drink alcohol in public will be committing a new offence under legislation to be announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

Police will also be handed tougher powers to disperse gangs of youngsters congregating in the street and other popular hangouts like parks and bus shelters.

54% of people thought the police already had adequate powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, and 64% did not think crime was a problem in their neighbourhood.

More than three-quarters of those questioned said they were satisfied with the way they had been dealt with by the police.