Paradise lost?

Householders claim teenage yobs are roaming the streets right through the night, vandalising property, throwing paint and even urinating through letter boxes.

They say the problems have got worse this year, and argue that hooliganism is no longer just an urban problem for cities such as York.

One resident wrote to the Evening Press to claim: "People think Easingwold is a quaint market town, nice to live in and no hassle or vandalism, but they are wrong.

"I am a resident of Paradise Fields estate, and we have yobs between the ages of nine and 16 who cause upheaval at night. Emulsion paint was thrown all over a bowling green and have been smashed and kicked in.

"The old folks are too frightened to come out on a night because of the abuse and bad behaviour. It was a nice estate once, but when you have to keep going outside three times a night to check on your car and property, it's too much."

When the Evening Press went out to speak to residents, everyone was too scared of reprisals to give their names, but it was agreed that the estate was suffering yob problems - and that they were getting worse.

A frail pensioner said: "It's absolutely dreadful. It's terrible." She said ten youths had gathered in a neighbour's porch, leaving a pile of empty beer cans behind them. "I'm dreading Mischief Night - I will have to seal my letter box up," she said.

Another resident said: "It's just hooliganism. It's got worse. The old people are frightened to go out at night."

Alison Oldfield, Hambleton Community Safety Officer, said the community safety partnership had not received any complaints about the estate.

She said police had confirmed it was a problem area, although few incidents had been reported over the last 18 months.

She said a mobile police station would be touring Hambleton in the first two weeks of November, and she would suggest it might pay a visit to the estate.

Updated: 10:55 Tuesday, October 28, 2003