POLICE in Ferryhill have launched an initiative to reduce youth disorder.

From today, there will be extra patrols in the Church Lane area, following complaints about youths causing a nuisance in the early evening.

PC Barbara Brown said: "We'll be speaking to the kids and trying to educate them about what else there is in the area and what else they can do.

"If we feel it is necessary, we will send letters out to parents, letting them know their children have been spoken to because they were involved in anti-social behaviour and then possibly following it up with a visit.

"We are hoping that the kids that are hanging around will try to find somewhere else to go outside the residential area. We just want to make life a little bit better for the residents of Church Lane."

The month-long operation has the support of the Reverend Keith Lumsdon, who runs St Luke's Youth Club.

He said: "We run a youth club on Fridays for up to 90 kids, but it is those who don't want to come in and congregate outside that cause the trouble.

"In the last month there has been a large increase in nine to 13-year-olds hunting in packs, and a lot of elderly people are getting quite frightened in some areas."

Anyone who wants to speak to PC Brown can contact her on (01740) 651204 or (01388) 814411.