GANGS of youths are making life a misery for residents of a nursing home near Darlington.

The youths congregate at a bus stop opposite the Dinsdale Court home in Middleton St George. Although almost all of them are under the legal drinking age, most of them become intoxicated, and cause problems for local people.

Ward councillor Doris Jones said the majority of the youths are not from the village, but from areas nearby such as Firthmoor.

"They are causing problems, but particularly for the elderly people at Dinsdale Court who are being haunted and harassed by these youngsters," she said.

"The bus shelter they hang around is a pig sty because they urinate, vomit and drop litter.

"It's not the local shop's fault that they are getting the alcohol, because someone aged 18 or over is going in and then giving it to them.

"It is sad that the old people cannot sleep in the flats at night without these youths making their lives hell."

Middleton St George beat officer, PC Steve Ball, has told the parish council that he is willing to change his shift arrangements to be present in the village on Friday nights.

Posters asking forassistance from members of the public in reporting incidents are being displayed on noticeboards in the area.

It has also been suggested that photographs and video cameras are used for the collection of evidence