David Blunkett has announced new measures to tackle the anti-social behaviour blighting Britain's poorest communities.

The Home Office is to give new powers to the police, courts and local councils to tackle low-level crime which ministers believe is scarring British towns and cities.

The legislation will extend fixed penalty fines, make parents accountable for yob children and close down "crack houses".

It will also restrict the sale of replica weapons and air guns and clamp down on the sale of spray paints.

New powers to crack down on nuisance noise and so-called neighbours from hell are also contained in the bill.

Ministers say the bill will give people "a fundamentally better quality of life".

They hope it will turn "all our communities into safe, clean places to live and work, free from harassment, fear and intimidation".

The bill was published on Thursday as Blunkett revealed that police numbers were at an all-time high of 131,548 in England and Wales.

"We are delivering on our promise to put more police officers on the streets, far exceeding our targets six months ahead of schedule," the home secretary said.

"I have today published legislation to give police officers, community support officers, environmental health officers and local authorities more powers to tackle the type of low-level crime and anti-social behaviour which blights many of our communities.

"With these substantial police numbers, it is crucial that we reinforce the message that we, and the wider community, expect to see police and support officers visible and available in the community.

"In this way, crime prevention and reassurance will increase as police strength increases."