TOUGH orders imposed on yobs to cut down on their anti- social actions have rocketed in the past year.

In Kirklees, 12 Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) were taken out between March, 2003, and April this year.

This compares with 13 over the previous four years.

In Leeds, 99 Asbos were imposed between April, 2003, and March, 2004.

Just 23 were applied for in the city between 1999 and 2003.

In Bradford, courts imposed 13 orders.

Calderdale has seen five delivered since 1999.

The Home Office says the number of Asbos issued to trouble-makers has more than doubled since March last year.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said the figures were a huge success.

Some 2,400 Asbos have been issued across England and Wales since 1999, with 1,323 in the year to March, 2004.

Mr Blair said: "We have given local communities the powers they need to enforce respect on the streets."

Bill Swap, the Asbo co-ordinator for Kirklees, said they were used as a last resort.

He said other measures would deal with problem individuals most of the time.

He said the power of Asbos lay in what happened if they were broken, adding: "A breach of an order means custody. That does have an effect."