Concern over teen drinking in Darlington park (From The Northern Echo)

Concern over teen drinking in Darlington park

5:06pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(2)

CONCERNS have been raised about anti-social behaviour in a Darlington park after an incident over the weekend.

Youths gathered at Springfield Park at Salters Lane North on Friday and left the area strewn with empty beer cans and bottles.

Police and the council clamped down on trouble in October after a particularly bad weekend when youths caused so much damage that the pay area had to be closed for an entire weekend.

After stepping up patrols and work by the youth service to engage with local teenagers, the number of anti-social behaviour incidents dropped.

But local resident Alan McNab said Friday nights trouble could herald a worrying return to the problems of last year.

We have had what looks like another incident of underage drinking in the play area, said Mr McNab, a Liberal Democrat activist and a member of the partys focus group.

It was not as bad as last October, when the whole play area was trashed, but there are bottles and cans and carrier bags strewn all over the place.

It is worrying. Things had improved a lot recently, and noone wants things to go back to the way they were.I will be asking for increased police patrols and Im also asking for the council to provide alternative facilities for young people in the Haughton, Springfield and Whinfield areas.

Unfortunately it seems there is a hardcore of young people who dont want to engage with the youth service, which makes things very difficult.

These young people are obviously damaging their health by binge drinking. I dont know where they are getting their drink from, but whoever is selling it to them needs to take a look at themselves.

Members of the public can report incidents of anti-social behaviour to Darlington Police by calling 0345-60-60-365.

Mr McNab said the Liberal Democrats plan to conduct a survey of local teenagers to find out what facilities they would like to see introduced to their area.

"We will be putting out a questionnairre so see what young people are looking for," he said.

"We did a similar thing in Harrowgate Hill a few years ago and we got a good response.

"We want to steer young people away from alcohol and help them to occupy their time productively."