THE Ilkley area isn't known for being a place where people are afraid to set foot out doors for fear of out-of-control youths. Although most people expect that a certain level of crime and anti-social behaviour sadly exists in every community, from deprived inner city areas to idyllic rural communities, tales of parents confining their children for fear of older youths are a little unexpected in this area.

When fit and healthy residents are daunted by the long-running campaign of abuse and bad behaviour, it's no surprise to hear that the more vulnerable members of society feel terrorised.

As always with this type of incident, there will be calls for more police and prosecutions where possible, while others will question why Ilkley youngsters are being driven to this behaviour, what are their families doing to stop it, and how they can be helped back on the right track before they grow into fully-fledged criminals.

What is surprising, is that it has apparently been going on for so long. In a country where ASBOs seem to be handed out as frequently as parking tickets, and for reasons as diverse as playing loud music, wearing 'hoodies', or attempting suicide by jumping in rivers, it seems strange that anti-social behaviour problems have continued apparently unchecked.

One fear is that the police are either too occupied elsewhere, or feel unable to act because they could be dealing with children whose behaviour has simply got out of hand. Recent appeals by both police and a local youth worker, however, for residents to come forward and discuss the problems, suggest there needs to be more communication and greater vigilance from the community.

Surely, if everyone did their bit for the community by making sure related anti-social behaviour incidents are recorded, and recorded as part of the same phenomenon, then police and youth workers would get straight to work on the problem?