POLICE are appealing for calm among teenagers in a North-East town after a fight broke out between scores of members from rival gangs.

Two boys were badly beaten after being ambushed by up to 30 youths in a park in the West End of Darlington on Wednesday night.

The attack, in Stanhope Park, happened after local residents complained about a group of about 100 teenagers loitering in nearby streets.

The incident involved large groups of youths aged between 14 and 19.

The local councillor, Ian Galletley, said the attack was the latest in a series of incidents which have worried local residents.

“Stanhope Park is a beautiful green space, but recently some local people have chosen to avoid it in the evenings,” he said.

“It is often invaded by large groups of badly behaved incoming youths.

“Ward residents have strong concerns about this decline in hot weather when tempers fray. I hope that the police will be able to get a grip on this, and quickly.”

One resident of Swinburne Road said: “We have had a lot of trouble in the past. You get big groups of teenagers hanging around and there has been a lot of damage to cars.

“There is a fence at the end of the road which has been kicked in a few times.”

The two victims received treatment for minor injuries after the attack on Wednesday.

No arrests have been made.

A homeowner at nearby Uplands Road said: “They hang around in the alleyways behind the houses quite a lot.

Just the other night I heard them running down there.

“They are very young, probably about 14 or 15. It is girls and boys. It seems to be the same people all the time, you recognise them after a while.

“It goes through cycles.

Sometimes it is really bad and it seems to be a problem at the moment. Last year, I put it down to the fact that the school year was coming to an end.”

Inspector Mohammed Perwaze, of Darlington police, said: “These children need to understand that any fights are public order offences and we will take firm action to stop that.

“We don’t want children to end up with criminal records, but at the same time we urge them to be mindful of what they are doing, and the effect that can have on other youngsters and the public.”