A COMMUNITY is calling on police and magistrates to take a tough line against vandals and crooks.

Residents are demanding more police officers on the beat at Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, and realistic penalties handed down from the courts.

"We want the punishment to fit the crime," said Joan Cook, vice chairman of Coulby Community Council.

Local people have called a public meeting to discuss a "growing catalogue of crime" hitting the estate.

They say that they have had enough.

Stockton Police commander Chief Superintendent David Lumb, and Cleveland Police Authority chairman Councillor Ken Walker, will address the meeting, in the Langdon Square Community Centre, where £2,000 has been spent on replacement windows in the past year, because of vandalism.

A children's nursery was suspended at the centre on the instructions of Middlesbrough Borough Council's social services department, officials being concerned that toddlers could injure themselves on slivers of glass from the continually smashed windows.

Residents complain of an unending chain of car break-ins, vehicles being stolen, burglaries of sheds, vandalism directed at the local schools and shops, and gangs - sometimes 50 strong - of under-age drinkers.

Mrs Cook said yesterday: "The meeting is being called out of concern; we really are concerned.

"We just think that things are getting out of hand and we want to see some progress,"

She said there was no criticism when calling the meeting of the beat bobbies, who did the best they could when patrolling the area.

A woman, who asked not to be named, said: "We have had a lot of problems with youths hanging around drinking and causing a nuisance."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said yesterday: "We take anti-social behaviour seriously in all areas. Coulby Newham is no exception.

"We are happy to talk to the community on any problems, as we will be on Monday evening.

"Tackling auto crime in Coulby Newham has been a specific theme over a number of weeks.

"Over the last few days a number of significant arrests have been made and more are anticipated.