A Darlington couple say they are being terrorised by youths who hurl objects over their fence and jump on their garage roof.

The elderly husband and wife - who have asked not to be named - say yobs regularly cut through Polam Lane, frightening residents with their anti-social behaviour.

"Over the years we have lived here we have had every imaginable object thrown at our windows, from snowballs to stones which, if they hit a person, could kill," said the man.

He said the latest incident involved two teenagers jumping on to their garage roof one night and punching an upstairs window.

He said: "My wife was not far from the window and it caused her a considerable fright. Although we have reported the majority of the incidents, we appreciate that there is little police can do."

The couple are now calling for Polam Lane, which is off Grange Road, to be closed at its far end so youths cannot use it as a shortcut.

The resident said: "Until Polam Lane is closed at the River Skerne end, which would not inconvenience anybody, the disturbance which we, and some of our neighbours suffer, will continue."

Other residents agree there are problems with anti-social youths, but say closing the road would be too extreme.

Kenneth Fooks said: "We did have a problem with bottles and youths were throwing conkers at the window. But at our end of the lane we don't really have any trouble."

Joan McIntyre said: "I don't know whether closing the lane would be a good thing.

"We do get them down here cutting through if they have been to nightclubs but you don't hear very much."

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said it would be a lengthy and complex process to close the lane.

She said: "If a number of residents expressed concerns about the route then we may have a look. But it would be very difficult to close a path which is an established public route."

Police were not available for comment last night.