RESIDENTS in a York community are celebrating after securing funding to install a new fence aimed at preventing yobs causing trouble near their homes.

It will be built behind houses on Bramble Dene, in Woodthorpe, using money from City of York Council’s Target Hardening fund.

The fund is designed to support projects which make areas less vulnerable to crime and antisocial behaviour, and the new fence will ensure access onto a small patch of private land next to Chapman’s Pond is blocked.

Dringhouses and Woodthorpe councillor Ann Reid, who worked with the residents on the issue, said: “Since the old fence was knocked down, residents had been concerned by people accessing the area, there had been a number of problems with antisocial behaviour and some fires had been started.

“The area also overlooks the nearby gardens, and the use of the area for unauthorised fishing in Chapman’s Pond meant residents were being made to feel uncomfortable by people overlooking their gardens. The new fence is much more secure and should hopefully provide a permanent solution in keeping people off this private land.”