Norwich police increase patrols in Riverside and near castle

Officers will be focusing on the Riverside Walk area, where there have been reports of street drinking, anti-social behaviour and drug taking.

Cops in the city centre will also be focusing on the Castle Gardens and Haymarket areas.

Castle Gardens has seen robberies and stabbings in recent years, while the Haymarket features the 150ft alley which is Norwich's most crime-ridden street, with a number of anti-social behaviour incidents happening outside McDonalds.

In the area around Duke Street, there have been reports of lift-surfing along with other anti-social behaviour.

Haymarket saw 46 crimes reported in January, with the majority being shoplifting or violent crimes.

In the area surrounding the castle, nine crimes were committed last month, with the majority being drugs offences. In the area around Duke Street there were 14 crimes reported with the majority being violent offences.

For the whole of Norwich, 632 crimes were committed in January - according to Norfolk Constabulary data.

It comes after police asked city folk to tell them their priorities for officers in the city.

Sergeant Chris Clay, who is leading the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (Snap) meetings, is urging the public to help police identify crime hotspots.

"Quite a few issues have emerged. At this time we have set two priorities for the city centre for the first two months or so," Sgt Clay said after a meeting at The Forum on Wednesday night.

"The first being the riverside area from Duke Street through to Bishop Bridge, past Cow Tower. 

"This is anti-social behaviour, drugs and drinking issues.

"The other one will be focused primarily on the city centre around the castle moat, gardens and Haymarket, this is anti-social behaviour and other public order issues which have arisen over the past few weeks."