EVIDENCE is being sought to ban a further two troublesome teenagers from a suburb's streets.

It is understood that an application for anti-social behaviour orders on the pair is being prepared to exclude them from various streets in Hemlington, Middlesbrough.

The youths are friends of 16-year-old Nathan Patton - himself the subject of an identical court order excluding him from various streets, the Viewley Hill Shopping Centre and Hemlington Recreation Centre - for four years.

Middlesbrough Borough Council, in an unprecedented move in the region, have sent 500 leaflets bearing Patton's photograph to homes in the area.

They also carry details of his catalogue of bad behaviour, which includes threatening and intimidating residents and workers, stealing and burning cars and causing criminal damage - and the areas from where he has been banned.

Magistrates heard that Patton was cited by 22 residents as their reason for leaving Hemlington.

If the council's application for similar orders affecting the two as yet unnamed gang members is successful, they will also be the subject of similar name-and-shame publicity.

Maelor Williams, ward councillor for the area where Patton lives, said: "We are just waiting for the case on the other two to come to court."

Jeanette Walker, chairman of the local community council, said of the name and shame leaflet: "With these, people can recognise him and can name him. At the same time, it helps to protect him from being wrongly accused. He will never get blamed for something he has not had a part in."

She added: "People want their estate back again. I love living here. We have a wonderful lake and loads of green spaces. We have lovely people up here

"I want to see some positive actions taken to make it better."

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: "This is the first time we have done this and it highlights how seriously we take problems of anti-social behaviour and we want to ensure there are no hiding places for those who flout the law.''