YOUTHS hurling eggs and tomatoes are making residents' lives a misery, an authority has been told.

People living in the area of Keswick Grove and Trimdon Avenue, Acklam, Middlesbrough are being plagued by youths who gather around the footpath linking the two streets.

They have woken to find For Sale signs resting on top of their cars, suffered verbal abuse, had bottles and litter thrown into their gardens, cars vandalised and regularly had eggs and tomatoes thrown at their windows.

After suffering for five years, residents have joined forces in an attempt to get Middlesbrough Council to close the path.

Brian Pearson, the residents' representative, said: "It is just getting ridiculous. The youths gather on the foot- path and make our lives a misery.

"They just generally cause mayhem and it has got so bad some people have actually moved away because of it.

"Problems are continually arising and we have had enough. If it was closed it would give us peace.

"Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has given its permission to close it, but we feel the council is dragging its heels."

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: "It is a two-stage process and we are working as fast as the law allows us to do.

"To close a footpath what we have to do is get a designation order.

"We are waiting for Defra to send us that and we are in touch with them to get that as quickly as possible.

"Then the next stage, by law, is to consult people on actually closing the footpath. The way we have structured our submission to Defra gives us some confidence this will go through as quickly as possible, providing there are no objections.

"We hope we can bring the residents peace of mind very shortly."

Cleveland Police said officers were aware of the problems caused by the youths using the footpath.