Gangs 'are using abandoned school for sex and drugs'

Residents near Springfield Primary School, Darlington, say children, some as young as 12, are trespassing in the school grounds and building to drink, take drugs and have sex. They also said the youths are harassing residents, urinating against fences and starting small fires.

Their noise is keeping neighbours awake until the early hours, sometimes until after 4am.

Following the latest incident on Saturday night, five bin bags full of cans were collected from the grounds.

Jane Allen, who lives near the school, said: "It is just diabolical, the sheer weight of the problem.

"You have to see it to believe what we have to put up with."

Trouble began to escalate at the end of the Easter term, when the school was closed.

Pupils have now moved to the new Education Village, also in Salters Lane.

Youngsters from across the town congregate around the empty building on an almost nightly basis, but the situation is worse on Friday and Saturday nights.

The school has been boarded up but the culprits have removed the boards.

Mrs Allen said: "It is like sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in Springfield Primary School. Before long I think they will have a riot on their hands."

Ward councillor David Lyonette said the situation had worsened because youths had been moved on from another problem area, in Nightingale Avenue.

He added: "We are assured of a quick and prompt demolition. That should hopefully solve the problem."

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "A security guard was appointed to patrol the school once it became vacant. This was recently stepped up to two guards."

He said demolition work was due to start tomorrow and last for about 12 weeks.

Inspector Brian Maudling, from Darlington community inspectors, said the police had been called out nine times in the past fortnight.

He said: "We monitor it to see if it escalates, but there is mention of 60 to 70 kids.

"We will have to react to the best we can, depending on what they are doing."