RESIDENTS in a small area of Gargrave are being terrorised by children as young as eight.

And police have vowed they will do all they can to stop the anti-social behaviour occurring around Neville Road but need the names and addresses of the offenders in order to act.

Now residents who were previously too afraid to speak out in fear of retaliation have vowed to report all incidents to the police and name those responsible.

Following a spate of complaints, a special meeting had been called by the parish council on Monday to bring together residents, the police, representatives of the county council's youth service and the house owners - Craven Housing and the Jephson Housing Association.

Several residents who have lived along Neville Road for many years said the problem was becoming a nightly occurrence.

One described the area as becoming "like the Bronx".

Residents at the meeting said they were experiencing loutish behaviour from children as young as eight, up to their early teens, often late into the night.

As well as bad language, damage and abuse, several residents have had bags of human and dog excrement thrown at their homes and into their gardens.

Paul Duke, headteacher of the village primary school, said he had found it necessary to close the school grounds to everyone outside school hours. Before children were allowed to use the yard to play.

"There were a series of incidents and damage and the governors took the decision to stop the children going on the school grounds. The county council is making notices which will be going up soon saying no trespassing," he said.

Children had also tried to start a fire in the school doorway one evening.

One resident invited the housing associations to go up to his house any night and experience the disturbances themselves.

PC Vanessa Bateson told the meeting she wanted to do something about the complaints.

"All I can advise is that you call me whenever you have any problems. I am on duty six days out of every 10 and I will come as quickly as I can. In the meantime, I know it will be difficult, but try to ignore the children and leave it to the police to deal with. We all need to work together."

She added that although residents said they had complained to the police, she could only find eight incidents logged on the computer over the past six months.

Most of the anger was being directed towards Jephson Housing which has around 20 properties on Neville Road.

But parish council chairman Alan Simpson pointed out that there there had also been reports of nuisance from youths living in Craven Housing homes (formerly owned by Craven District Council).

While many of the residents living along the road endeavoured to keep their homes and gardens spotless, Coun Mavis Thomas said a number of gardens were an "absolute disgrace".

She passed on the numbers of a couple of houses which gave the most concern to Jan Rangeley, estate officer with Jephson Housing who said she would act on the information.

"I can't do anything or approach any of the residents unless people are prepared to give names and addresses. I can't stand before a judge if I don't have that information," she said.

She said that as far as "unsuitable families" were concerned, Jephson allocated the houses to families through a legitimate application and nomination system.

"We do checks on the applicants, but we do not know their individual backgrounds unless they tell us. But we accept that we do have a responsibility to all the residents in Neville Road and that is why we ask you to help us to sort out the problem."

Michael Smith, of Craven Housing, said the criteria needed to secure a house anywhere in Craven was through current work and/or residency.

"The system is changing soon so anyone will be able to apply for a house, but preference will always be given to Craven residents and those who work in the area," he said.

The representatives from Jephson Housing said they would act on the information they had been given and PC Bateson arranged to meet individual residents this week.