A COMMUNITY leader has called for more anti-social behaviour orders to be issued on a Darlington estate, after youths ran amok in a community centre.

Bill Cook, chairman of Firthmoor Community Partnership Board, told a public meeting that teenagers were rioting in Maidendale House Community Centre, Burnside Road, last Monday.

He said: "We need to see anti-social behaviour orders now before it goes too far. The law needs to act."

Play worker Caroline Howgate, 34, had a football kicked into her head and face several times after she tried to reprimand a gang of youngsters.

Other community centre staff were verbally abused.

Mr Cook, whose voice was shaking with emotion, said: "There was rioting in this place on Monday and we couldn't control the kids.

"Caroline had a football kicked in her face. We don't need to tolerate that.

"I will not tolerate my staff being intimidated as they have been since Monday. I'm so upset you wouldn't believe.

"It's not right that people should have to suffer like this and it's gone on for too long."

Mother-of-four Ms Howgate said: "The kids were playing games with balls and they kept hitting it off my head.

"They were really out of control and mouthing off at you if you told them to behave. We couldn't control them."

Mr Cook said police were called but uniformed wardens were sent to deal with the situation instead.

He said: "It's very, very seldom the police come out. The kids are not daft, they know the wardens can't do much."

The meeting also heard that the estate's youth club regularly had to close because of bad behaviour.

Ruth Bernstein, from Darlington Learning Partnership, said: "We are having a real problem with some young people, a minority who spoil it for the rest of them."

Inspector Chris Reeves, from Darlington's anti-social behaviour unit, said an investigation would be launched.