ANGRY residents who claim their area has become a "dumping ground" for criminals and drug users are to take to the streets in protest.

Scores of people in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, plan to march through the streets next Wednesday because they were not consulted over plans to put an office dealing with juvenile delinquents in their midst.

Inga Mahoney, chairman of North Ormesby Community Council, said residents had reached breaking point and the office - for 20 staff from the South Tees Youth Offending Team - was the last straw.

"The people of North Ormesby are very, very incensed because we seem to be getting everything dumped on us and nobody bothers to come and consult us," she said.

Residents are worried that young offenders from all over the town will visit the office on a daily basis and angry that the office has a permanent police officer based there, yet the police station next door is often not manned at all.

"We have got the police identification suite in King's Road and a needle exchange further up the road, yet nobody thought to tell us they were planning to do this," she said. "The area is really deteriorating and it's very sad. North Ormesby is fed up."

The office has been up and running for about three weeks and, according to Colin Wilson, head of the youth offending team, it is mainly used for administration work.

He said: "I can understand some of the anxieties that people have.

"But there will be a maximum of a dozen young people visiting the office each week and they will be youngsters from North Ormesby.

"We haven't consulted as widely as we should have done and there are lessons to be learnt. We are not a residential facility, a remand facility or a drop-in for young offenders.

"Our overall aim is to prevent and reduce crime committed by young people and be good neighbours to the residents of North Ormesby."

Residents are holding a meeting to discuss the march today at 6.30pm at the community centre in Derwent Street