Boy racers cause misery for residents (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Boy racers cause misery for residents

UNRULY youngsters are plaguing residents of a quiet Fairford street by playing loud music and racing cars into the early hours of the morning.

The problems in Park Close led to a meeting last Monday between police, concerned householders, police, Fairford mayor Dave Nelmes and young people.

At a meeting of the town council last Tuesday Mr Nelmes spoke of the difficulties, which have developed over the last few months.

He said: "The ground around Park Close has become quite a battleground for children and older children with cars and blaring music and even people making love in full view of everyone.

"It's getting out of hand now with cars racing around and all sorts. "The police themselves have said you've got to let us know and keep ringing us to let us know.

"We asked if they could make that a regular place to visit on their patrols. "It's just very sad at the moment that the area is being targeted."

Park Close residents Sue and Michael New were at the town council meeting.

Mrs New said: "We are just having a lot of abuse. You can just walk past, you don't have to say anything. They sit on the floor and you can't walk past.

"We've been living there since these houses were built (26 years ago) and this is the first time since we lived there that we have wanted to move."

Some of the children, whose ages range from as young as ten, had admitted to buying condoms from a local shop, blowing them up and throwing them around the area, added Mr Nelmes.

Cllr Freda Lang said the town council was working hard to address the problem by providing more leisure facilities for the town's youth, including renovating the youth and community centre and finding a site for a skateboard park.

She said: "It's very difficult to find a place to put facilities but in principal we are very much in favour of doing something."

A spokesman for the police said: "We have received several calls to that area within the last week or so to follow up reports of anti-social behaviour by youths.

"We have attended and spoken to youths, given them advice about their behaviour and told them to respect local residents."

Officers had also spoken to the parents of those involved and urged them to take positive steps themselves.