OXENHOPE councillors warned that the village's respite from persistent antisocial behaviour might be coming to an end.

Members of the parish council discussed a recent renewal of problems being caused by a small group of children and teenagers.

Coun Pauline Bedford said she had been approached by a parishioner worried about a group of 11 and 12-year-olds who had dumped a large quantity of cigarette ends on the floor of the Lowertown bus shelter. She added that further damage had been inflicted on the roof of the shelter.

Council deputy chairman, Coun Tony Maw, said: "We have been doing very well as a village, we haven't had any real antisocial behaviour here for a few years."

Coun Tony Jones said he had been made aware of more vandalism in the recreation ground, including some wooden boards which had been kicked in and margarine smeared on a slide. He noted that following a long period of calm a new generation of troublemakers now appear to be on the scene.

"I understand that this sort of thing does come in cycles," he said.

"The police have been notified, but we're not getting as many police visits as we used to do because of the re-organisation. Whenever I do see police or police community support officers I ask for more visits to the village."