PC John Gillman with one of the St Mary's Park posters
ROWDY groups of teenage drinkers who hang around a Yate park are being blamed for attacks on the public, intimidating residents and vandalism.
Drug paraphernalia and smashed bottles have been left scattered around the playground in St Mary's Park after groups of up to 100 youths meet there on Friday nights.
The graveyard in St Mary's Church has been desecrated and walkers have reported being assaulted by the gang, aged between 12 and 18 years old.
Nearby residents say they are scared to go outside their own homes.
One family told the Gazette they had replaced all their windows with double-glazing to cut down on the noise.
"You can hear their abusive language quite clearly from our back garden," said one resident, who asked not to be named.
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"There is no way I would go out there and although I have not encountered any verbal abuse, I know people walking by who have. It is stressful."
Youths have kicked the family's front door and banged on their living room window late at night.
Another resident, with three young children, said she was scared to walk her dog in the park in the evening.
Police have pushed St Mary's Park to the top of their priority list ahead of lighter summer evenings.
Neighbourhood policing Sergeant Andy McIlrath said: "The main problems are noise, underage drinking and we have found some evidence of the use of cannabis. There have also been a number of assaults and criminal damage.
"We are getting more and more larger and larger groups meeting there, whereas traditionally we have had a few hotspots with lower numbers of youths.
"A lot of residents have experienced significant disturbances, particularly those with young families."
Parents of pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 at Brimsham Green, Chipping Sodbury and King Edmund Community schools have been sent letters urging them to keep track of their children.
Warning posters, featuring the message Do you know where your child is?' have been put up around the park and in public places throughout Yate.
Police have issued fixed penalty notices, seized gallons of beer, cider and spirits and regularly taken disruptive and drunk youths home to their parents.
Officers are working with South Gloucestershire Council's youth service to offer teenagers somewhere to go and say they are keen to tackle the problem positively.
However, Sgt McIlrath warned youngsters caught causing trouble in the area would be arrested.
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