BURNLEY MP Peter Pike has given Commons praise to community safety officers and neighbourhood wardens in supporting the police.

Following the experience in his constituency he said that increasing numbers of such officers on the streets was giving the public confidence and preventing a mindless minority from destroying the lives of the majority.

At Home Office Questions Police Minister Hazel Blears said the big increase in police numbers and the strength of community support officers had made a massive contribution to the big push on tackling anti-social behaviour.