HATHERLEY: YOBS MAKE US SCARED TO LIVE HERE

YOBS MAKE US SCARED TO LIVE HERE

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A Former Hatherley resident says the area has become so overrun with yobs his family are afraid of living there.The man, who wished only to be known as Matt, said: "I grew up in the area and have watched it slowly deteriorate over the last six or seven years to the way it is now.

"It is at the point where the family I have there, in what used to be a very quiet road, want to leave because they feel intimidated by the yobs and gangs of hoodies who think they run the village.

"I'm disgusted at the way that the youths are being dealt with, or not, as the case may be.

"There is absolutely no respect for the adults of the community, even to the parents of the youths."

He said reasons for the problem were a lack of facilities in the area and a lack of punishment, but primarily he felt parents were to blame.

"It is difficult to see a solution to the problem but it needs to start at home," he said.

"The parents need to start taking responsibility and discipline from an early age - seeing three and four-year-olds running around the streets at 10pm is not what I would call having control. It's just setting a precedent for later in life."

At a Hatherley Residents' Association meeting last week, PC Ian Miles told attendees that the area was 'not horrendous' and residents needed to get more involved with the youngsters to help curb anti-social behaviour.

Thirlmere Road resident Clive Taylor said he was fed up with police saying residents needed to do more.

He said groups of youths drinking, swearing, shouting, vandalising property and dropping litter was a big problem and getting worse.

"I don't see why I should talk to the sort of youths who act like that, it's the police's job," he said.

"I don't think it's unreasonable for me to want to come home, relax and have a quiet life.

"And the people I'm most concerned for are the elderly, disabled and ill people who live in this area, they shouldn't have to put up with such behaviour."