A youth crouches on a stanchion under York's new Millennium Bridge - some 15 feet above the bank and the swirling waters of the River Ouse.

It is only just over a week since this magnificent crossing over the river was officially opened, but already the city's youngsters have been turning it into a potentially dangerous playground.

And some foul-mouthed yobs have been hurling clods of earth at passing craft - with one passenger reportedly struck on the head by a clod.

This picture of a youngster perched on a stanchion was supplied by a concerned reader who was passing by the bridge with a camera when he spotted the prankster.

Police said they had received several reports of children "messing about" and climbing onto wrong parts of the bridge, and also one of vandalism to wooden posts on the riverside.

And there had been a complaint from White Rose Line about youngsters dropping items towards its pleasure craft from the bridge and surrounding banks.

Peter Huitson, from Driffield, who came to York to see the Millennium Bridge, spoke of his disgust at the behaviour of a group of around six children.

He said they were doing 'tricks' on their skateboards and bicycles on the benches and using foul language.

He said: "As soon as the pleasure boats were going underneath they were running onto the bridge and pelting the passengers with clods of soil. We saw one old lady get a direct hit on top of her head."

York police said the bridge was being brought into officers' routine patrols, and police had been out to it after complaints had been made. But no one had yet been apprehended at a difficult location where troublemakers could get away quickly.

Chief Inspector Andy Bell said there was generally a problem of stupidity rather than dangerous behaviour, but he encouraged anyone seeing misbehaviour to keep calling police without delay.

His colleague Sergeant Colin Ventress warned that youngsters were risking their lives by climbing unauthorised areas. "They are obviously at risk of falling and injuring themselves."

A spokeswoman for White Rose Line said children had been causing a nuisance during the Easter holidays rather than endangering passengers.

A spokesman for City of York Council said: "The bridge has been openfor less than a week and there is bound to be enormous interest and activityaround it for the first few weeks."This is an important community facility and obviously we are concerned to hear any reports of attempts of vandalism or reckless behaviour on the part of youngsters and would appeal for anyone witnessing such activity to report it to the police."

He said a safety audit of the bridge designwas carried out in the planning stage but this was a public structure and noone could legislate for every event.

"We would like to appeal to parents to spell out the risks to youngsters playing around water and on bridges anywhere.

"In the meantime we will continue to monitor the use of the bridge."

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, April 19, 2001