GANGS of youths as young as 11 are bringing anarchy and intimidation to York city centre, angry traders claimed today.

Stallholders at Newgate Market say they have been terrorised by the teenagers and blame them for vandalism causing damage that costs thousands of pounds to repair.

The traders claim gangs aged between 11 and 17 intimidate staff and customers at businesses around the market and in Shambles and Goodramgate, two of York's most historic shopping streets.

Today, the crime-busting Safer York Partnership asked the public to name the youngsters responsible and report any incidents to help police tackle the problem.

Evening Press photographers have captured on camera groups of youngsters congregating in the Newgate Market area.

There is no evidence to suggest that they are the youngsters responsible for the mayhem, but youths were seen drinking cans of lager and racing around the stalls on cycles, creating an uneasy atmosphere.

Among reports that the Evening Press has received was one from a diner who told reporters he had witnessed an apparent running battle between youths on bicycles smashing bottles around the market area.

Other problems reported by the traders include:

Thousands of pounds worth of window glass smashed in two weeks

Slashed stall canopies

Broken beer bottles and glass covering the stalls

Threatening and abusive language to market customers and residents walking through the market area

Hypodermic needles found in stall gutterings

Carole Patrick, of Safer York Partnership, said today: "The ward police officers are aware of the occurrences of trouble in the city, but they need more help to tackle it."

She said: "We need names, addresses, so that our officers can take it that step further."

Business owners say they have reported the gangs but got little response from police officers.

National Market Federation chairman and stallholder David Green said the youngsters were "getting away with murder".

"The council know about it, but they are doing nothing about it, and every time it happens it's being reported to the police, but we see nothing," he said.

On Tuesday night, almost £1,000 of damage was caused when market stall canopies were slashed with knives.

Traders say this has happened so often that the council has now run out of replacement canopies, leaving traders to patch up the torn covers as best they can.

"It really is the worst I have ever seen it," said stall owner Gary Hayes.

Ward manager PC Howard Smelt-Webb said: "We have to look at the beat as a whole, it is a very busy area, but that does not mean this is forgotten."

How to help:

Send an email to Safercommunities@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or call 01904 631321 and leave a message for PC Howard Smelt-Webb or PC Rick Ball if you can identify the youths responsible, or if you witness problems.

Updated: 10:44 Thursday, September 11, 2003