A DISABLED woman and her husband say they were forced out of their home by months of intimidation.

Rick and Rosemary Berrie, a wheelchair user, fled their house in St Stephen's Road, Acomb, after suffering a stream of threats and repeated aggravation.

They say the louts involved even left broken glass strewn on their path to puncture Rosemary's wheelchair tyres.

The couple were moved by City of York Council after their doctor backed their application for a transfer, telling the authorities the pair had become depressed.

They now live at an address they have asked us to keep secret for fear the yobs will catch up with them once more.

But they decided to speak out about their ordeal after demands for action by 88-year-old resident Yvonne Hamelin.

She told the Evening Press last week that her peace had been destroyed by youths gathering outside her flat in St Stephen's Road.

Mr and Mrs Berrie's GP told City of York Council housing chiefs: "These two patients are suffering from depression. In particular, Mr Berrie has become increasingly depressed over the last few months due to severe distress.

"I fully support a transfer on medical grounds to improve his mental state."

Mr Berrie said: "I have serious personal experience of what Miss Hamelin is complaining about. We lived there for a year and ten months and we were ready to snap.

"We had them smashing eggs on the windows in the middle of the night, smashing glass on the path to the front door, running through our hedge and shouting obscenities and threats.

"They were completely out of control and I will never forget it as long as I live."

Miss Hamelin last week told how a gang of more than 15 youths gathered on grassland next to her home nearly every night.

She said they swear, drink and damage trees and hedges, and kick a football against the wall with such force that her television shakes.

The youths had responded to her complaints by kicking the ball at her, and one even exposed himself to her.

Mr Berrie said: "I hope never to go back there again."

City of York Council is inviting residents to a meeting tonight to discuss the problem.

A council spokeswoman said: "The Berries requested to move from St Stephen's Road and security was one of the issues they raised.

"We will be addressing this concern at the estate improvement meeting, to which everybody is invited."

The meeting will be held at 7pm at Oaklands School, in Cornlands Road, Acomb.

Updated: 11:53 Tuesday, July 03, 2001