A Newton Aycliffe shopkeeper fears his doors will be put in every night and residents say they're too scared to visit the town centre after dark as it is blighted by anti-social behaviour.
Matthew Seal, who runs Thames Fruit and Veg, is one of many who tell tales of gangs of teenagers, motorbike-riding youngsters wearing balaclavas and abusive youths in the centre of Newton Aycliffe.
But despite police saying they take anti-social behaviour (ASB) "extremely seriously" and reports of ASB falling compared to last year, shoppers and traders alike say more needs to be done.
Mr Seal told The Northern Echo that trouble once caused by thieves and drug users is now brought about by kids – and it’s showing no signs of stopping.
“The kids are a nightmare,” the 35-year-old said, describing the groups of teens that descend on the town from about 5pm to 8pm every evening.
“There are hundreds of kids who come to the town centre now, especially in the last six to ten months.
“My front window was smashed – that was down to kids. Other windows have been put out; that’s down to kids. They were smashed in with rocks.
“They just come around and terrorise the place. It is relentless at night. I know they have chucked mud inside other shops.
“I just don’t think there are enough police. Unless they actually come down and do something about it then nothing is going to change, or the kids will get bored of coming to the town centre.
“Every night, I always wonder, am I going to get a call saying the door has been put through or alarms are going off?”
Similar images were described by two other shop workers along the road. “You see kids on motorbikes and e-scooters,” one woman told The Echo.
“I’ve never had any issues with them, but you see them riding up and down, shouting and screaming as kids do.
“It makes me feel a bit wary when I am shutting up the shop. One time, there was a fight that saw one of our windows get broken last year.
“A group of kids, for some people, might be intimidating. It doesn’t make me nervous, but just a bit uncomfortable. It will get worse in the summer holidays.”
According to police data, reports of ASB in the centre fell from 170 over the six months to February 2025 to 120 in the same period to February 2026.
“Just this week, there were kids flying down here at around 60 to 80 miles per hour on a motorbike,” another woman added.
“They had balaclavas on. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.”
In the town centre, for some shopping, was Shirley Askew, who felt the number of empty units in town was not helping with anti-social behaviour.
“This town needs businesses,” the 63-year-old said.
“I went down there the other day, and there were seven empty shops in a row. When I first moved here all the shops were full. I don’t even call it a town centre anymore. It needs more.
“I wouldn’t come down here after dark, I’d be too frightened. There are too many kids; on roller-skates, on bikes. It makes you feel unsafe.
“You wonder, what if they say something? What if they do something? It scares you.”
In the centre, 26% of shops are boarded up - one of the highest percentage across County Durham, only behind Peterlee and Bishop Auckland.
But the anti-social behaviour doesn’t just take place along the high street. It’s branching off into surrounding areas and impacting people in their own homes.
Tom Buwen, who moved into his home in 2019, told The Echo that he rang the police just this week to report anti-social behaviour, adding gangs in the town centre are “horrendous”.
“There were about three or four kids on bikes, they dug mud up and started throwing it at a house. I have my house covered in CCTV because of the violence.
“There are police on the street about three or four times a day. It’s horrible. It used to be quiet; you could stand outside and talk to your neighbours without any issues.
“There needs to be more security in the town centre.”
Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Inspector Simon Peele said: “We take antisocial behaviour extremely seriously and share the views of most people who believe this behaviour has no place in our communities.
“My neighbourhood team work closely with residents, young people, partners, and businesses to problem solve issues. Antisocial behaviour affects the whole community, and it is not solely the responsibility of the police.
“We know that much of the antisocial behaviour in Newton Aycliffe is caused by a small number of repeat offenders and that their behaviour involves criminal offences.
“We use a wide range of tactics to identify offenders and bring those responsible to justice; these include deploying extra officers to affected areas, using drones to capture evidence, issuing dispersal notices, and using CCTV to identify offenders.
“We are committed to preventing crime, protecting the public, and focusing our resources where they are most needed. Extra patrols provide a highly visible and reassuring presence, allowing officers to respond swiftly and effectively to any emerging issues.
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“We will continue to us all powers available to reduce crime and tackle persistent offenders.
“We would urge parents and guardians to know where your children are, who they’re with, and what they’re doing – you have a responsibility to ensure they don’t become involved in situations which could cause disruption or distress to others.
“Our PACT meetings are there for residents to discuss any issues relating to antisocial behaviour and we would encourage any resident with concerns to attend.
“Residents can report incidents via our front counter, which is based in the fire station in the town centre or by calling us on 101.
“If you are experiencing antisocial behaviour, please don’t assume someone else will have called us - make the call and help us to tackle this issue.”
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