CURFEW orders to crack down on young troublemakers are not being used widely enough in Swindon, official government figures have revealed.

Magistrates in Wiltshire have imposed just five orders, according to the Home Office.

This was the second lowest total in any police force area in England and Wales.

Only the Welsh police force area Dyfed Powys made less use of these tough orders and they imposed just four.

And, significantly, the areas of English police forces used for comparison with Wiltshire, ie rural areas, in performance tests all slapped more curfews on unruly youngsters.

Cambridge imposed 40 orders, West Mercia 61 and Gloucestershire 13 during the same period.

The average number of curfews for similar areas to Wiltshire was 23 during the 12-month period.

The figures include Local Child Curfew Orders.

These were introduced in September 1998 to stop children aged under ten causing trouble after school.

In August 2001, the Home Office extended a variety of orders so they could be issued to anyone aged up to 15.

The Home Office says the orders are effective and it wants more to be used.

Once imposed, they prevent named youngsters causing a nuisance in notorious trouble spots at night.

Each curfew order lasts up to a minium of 90 days and keeps children off the streets between 9pm and 6am.

A curfew can be issued even if a child has not been convicted of a criminal offence or been given a separate civil order.

If youngsters are caught breaking the curfew then police officers have the power to return them to "a safe place."

This can be either their home or local authority care.

The figures also include orders which can restrict the movements of 15 to 17-year-olds, such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.

Last year Wiltshire was also revealed to have issued the lowest number of ASBOs in the country.

The orders, introduced in 1999, can ban offenders from a particular area.

But surprisingly just a total of three have been given to troublemakers in Swindon.

But the police say they are definitely hoping to issue more curfews in the future.

Chief Inspector Richard Wright, of Wiltshire Constabulary, said: "We are currently developing a protocol in relation to curfew orders.

"This is in conjunction with our crime and disorder partners and these measures may be utilised in future in Wiltshire."

Editor