TENSIONS overflowed on a troubled York estate when up to 80 youths ran amok during a night of mayhem.

Police and firefighters were called to Chapelfields on Saturday after reports that a car and other property had been set ablaze.

They found dozens of youths roaming the streets, a sports car reduced to a smouldering wreck and rubbish blocking roads.

Today, youngsters blamed the disturbances on boredom and what they see as a total lack of things for them to do in the area.

They told how their youth club had burned down and several shops had closed.

We stress that there is no suggestion the young people who talked to us were connected with the weekend's troubles.

But they talked to us to get across the reasons they believe the disturbances are breaking out.

One of the group told us: "People race round in cars, people down drinks to give them a buzz because there's nothing to do."

by Charlotte Percival and Chris Greenwood

newsdesk@ycp.co.uk

YOUNGSTERS on a York estate have appealed to the community to give them a space to call their own and help curb nuisance behaviour.

They spoke out after up to 80 fellow teenagers took to the streets of Chapelfields in yet another night of disturbances on the troubled York estate.

Chapelfields is notching up a history of vandalism and antisocial behaviour, but youths say the area's problems have heightened since their youth club burned down.

Leigh Hill, 16, said she had seen some of her peers turn to drink, vandalism and graffiti to fill their evenings and weekends.

In May, a policeman was taken to hospital after a riot broke out in the area and hooligans attacked cars and property with golf clubs and bottles.

A Chapelfields resident who witnessed the weekend's mayhem told the Evening Press: "It was all kicking off on Saturday. We had planned to go out, but couldn't because we were worried about leaving our house."

Another witness said: "There was a real bad atmosphere here on Saturday. The kids were just hanging around waiting for something to happen. There must have been 60 or 80 on the streets.

"They're not bad if you get them on their own. It's just when it's dark and they've got nothing to do. You feel anything could happen sometimes."

Leigh, an Oaklands School pupil, said youngsters felt they had nowhere to go.

"It used to be good round here, we had a pizza shop, a hairdressers, a drop-in shop and a youth club with the internet, a PlayStation, dance machine and tuck shop. They used to take us on trips and hold curry nights. It was shelter for us and to keep us off the streets and keep us occupied.

"Now people just race around in cars, people down drinks to give them a buzz because there's nothing at all to do.

"You should see the state of the flats, people write graffiti all over them because it gives them something to do."

Sammy Young, 11, said: "There was never as much trouble before. There was probably about one big incident a year. No one was allowed to drink or smoke or fight in the youth club so it just didn't happen."

Leigh said a purpose-built Community House was planned as a replacement for the community centre, but this was unpopular among young people.

"It will mean people of all ages will be in the same place together," she said.

"People with drug problems will be able to go too, as will little kids. We need two separate places."

Sheila Gray, 59, and her grandson, Jake, 13, supported the call for a youth club.

"Youngsters are making it a right mess in Chapelfields at the moment," said Mrs Gray.

"When there was a youth club it was all right, it had calmed down a lot.

"They're desperate for something to do."

A York police spokeswoman confirmed today that several police patrols were called to the estate on Saturday night following numerous calls from the public.

Updated: 10:12 Monday, October 18, 2004