GANGS of youths have been driven away from their York hang-out spot - by a radical sonic device audible only to under-25s.

The Co-op store, in Tang Hall Lane, has fitted a Mosquito to their building, to stop young hoodlums loitering outside the shop.

The £450 device works by emitting a piercing, high-pitched noise, which can be heard only by people in their teens or early 20s.

It is one of 34 devices fitted at Co-op branches nationwide, but is believed to the first by any retailer in York.

Dot Molloy, deputy manager at the shop, said: "It does seem to be working. They cannot stand the noise. It's definitely proved to be successful."

She said the shop had been plagued by unwanted gangs of children "for years and years". They had asked their head office to put a CCTV camera up, but instead they opted for the Mosquito, which is switched on for a couple of hours in the morning as youngsters head to school, and again in the evening.

The Safer York Partnership has decided against using Mosquitoes en masse for now, but is monitoring their success elsewhere.

Co-op spokesman Gideon Fireman said: "We give the highest priority to the safety and comfort of staff and customers when they are shopping at our stores.

"Mosquito devices are installed at stores where nuisance and anti social behaviour have been a consistent issue.

"Currently, the device has been fitted at 34 of our stores out of a total of nearly 600.

"They are not operational 24 hours a day and can be turned on and off as and when store managers believe it is necessary.

"The decision to install these devices is not taken in isolation by us but is carried out after consultation with the police and local authorities."

Tom Gibson, of the Tang Hall residents association, said: "They have had problems in the past, and if they have something that works, so much the better."

Roger Pierce, Labour candidate for the Hull Road ward in next week's election, said: "I think it's something that's worth exploring as part of a battery of measures. CCTV is probably the most effective, in that it offers evidence."

A City of York Council spokesperson said: "The Safer York Partnership, of which City of York Council is a partner, has looked into the use of mosquito devices and decided not to start using them for the time being.

"However, the partnership is looking at other alternatives, as well as watching what's happening with mosquito devices in other parts of the country."


Press reporter GERRAN GRIMSHAW went to loiter around the Co-op to test the Mosquito

At 23, I'm the youngest member of The Press' reporting team, and just young enough to be affected by the high-pitched deterrent.

Once I came within 10 metres or so of the Mosquito, I "sensed" the sound. It's a whirring noise, like the buzz emitted by electrical equipment. And it is very annoying - not quite painful, but certainly enough to make any youths think twice about sticking around.

The closer you get, the worse it feels. After about ten minutes, I was getting a headache, and was ready to call the council's noise nuisance team.