A DISABLED grandmother has criticised police after they failed to respond to her calls and disperse a gang of 50 rowdy youths.

Jane Rowbotham said she felt like a prisoner in her own home when the gang congregated outside her front door.

The 54-year-old said 25 emergency calls were made by herself and concerned neighbours to Cleveland Police during the two-and-a-half-hour ordeal.

The mother-of-four has contacted Hartlepool MP Iain Wright, who is planning to write to Police Headquarters about the incident.

The group of youths, aged about 15 to 20, gathered outside her home in Elgin Road, Hartlepool, in the early hours of Saturday.

The wheelchair user, who suffers with diabetes, asthma and agoraphobia, said she could hear the youths swearing, drinking and taking drugs.

She said: "I am disgusted with the scum that were hanging around outside my door and more annoyed with the police for not coming to help me. They were sitting on my doorstep swearing and being abusive. I don't know whether they knew I was there but I don't think they would have cared."

Superintendent Dave Horner, of Hartlepool Police, said his staff were particularly busy with other duties at the time.