FED up residents of a housing complex are calling for better security - to fend off anti-social behaviour.

The people who live at Manor Square, Yeadon, say they have to put up with youngsters smoking, urinating, and even sleeping inside their building.

Some have surprised people trying to break into their homes - and one 82-year-old fought off a youngster with her umbrella.

Now, they want owner Leeds based Harewood Housing Associa-tion, to install an intercom system at the entrances to the three blocks of 40 flats with mail boxes for the delivery of letters.

Resident, Shirley Smales, said: "Children and youths are using the stair wells as lavatories and smoking dens.

"I caught them once doing it and they were very abusive. It's very intimidating, especially for some of the older people who live here."

She added residents had complained to the police who had told them to get locks fitted on the doors.

"A lot of the people are elderly or disabled and living on their own, I know of one person who walked in to find someone sleeping in a sleeping bag."

Kath Greenwood, 82, who has lived in the flats for 20 years, caught a teenage boy inside a disabled neighbour's flat.

"I had just come back from shopping and the taxi driver was helping me upstairs with my shopping.

"My neighbour called out and as we came up the stairs, her door was open and this boy shot out and nearly knocked the pair of us flying."

Luckily, she came back in time to stop the thief getting away with anything, and since then the woman's relatives have fitted her door with strong locks.

On a separate occasion, she fought off a teenage boy who barred her way into her home.

"There was this boy and two girls, about 14 or 15 years old. I'd gone shopping and they'd shouted at me, then when I got back they were still there."

The boy barred her way to the front door and after ten minutes, she dropped her shopping and tried to force her way past him.

"He'd got a stick and he walloped me with it on the arm, so I got my umbrella and hit him with it, it must have hurt him, but he hurt my arm and it's never been the same since.

"The other two were egging him on and he did it out of bravado, but it's just getting too much and I just can't cope with it anymore," said Mrs Greenwood.

Miss Smales said Harewood Housing had suggested a security system involving a coded lock which would be given out to residents and those who needed to get into the building.

"We want a proper security system with an intercom and mail boxes on the outside, we don't want a system where people would need to know the code, what would happen if people came unexpectedly?"

Councillor Graham Latty (Con, Aireborough), said he had taken the complaint up with Harewood Housing.

"The youngsters that are getting in are causing mayhem, not only are they leaving rubbish all over the place, but they're using the place as a toilet.

"Apart from anything else, the place is becoming a health hazzard," he said.

John Fozard, director of Harewood Housing Society Ltd, said that the society was aware that a number of unauthorised people were using the communal staircases at Manor Square.

"We have balloted the tenants with a suggestion that a mechanical door lock be fitted to the communal doors and this resulted in a slender majority in favour of such locks.

"However, the results vary from staircase to staircase and we therefore feel it is appropriate to consult once more with the residents to ascertain whether they are happy to accept a lock on some staircases and not on others.

"We are aware that the residents would prefer an electronic door entry system to be fitted, but the society is of charitable status and does not have the budget provision for such expenditure at this time."