TWO teenage tearaways have been banned from a large part of the town where they terrorised elderly and disabled neighbours.

Ali Iqbal, 16, and Haider Farooq, 15, were the ‘ringleaders’ of a disruptive gang in Brierfield which made lives a misery for vulnerable residents.

residents. On one day alone, Iqbal and Farooq led their ‘entourage’ on a trail of destruction, damaging buses, cars and homes with hammers across the area.

The pair have now been given two-year anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) banning them from a major part of Brierfield.

At Reedley Magistrates’ Court yesterday, chairman Brian Pickup told them: “We are not messing about lads. You can look upon this as your last chance.”

Under the terms of their ASBOs, Iqbal, of Berry Street, and Farooq, of Hill Street, must not associate with each other, or a named list of fellow gang members, except for when attending the ACERS pupil support unit.

The pair are also banned from an area bordered by Halifax Road, Pennine Way, Burnley Road and Reedley Road — the only exceptions being streets immediately surrounding their homes.

The teenagers must also not behave anti-socially anywhere in Pendle, including using threatening or abusive behaviour or hand gestures.

Speaking after the case, Pc Tony Feather, one of Brierfield’s two community beat managers, said: “These two lads are the ringleaders of a large gang of youths who have targeted elderly, disabled and vulnerable members, and families in the comm- unity. They showed no respect to anyone.”

The youngsters, who have both been kicked out of mainstream schooling, had refused to sign acceptable behaviour contracts, police said.

The neighbourhood team had been dealing with complaints about Iqbal and Farooq for up to eight months.

Graeme Tindall, for Iqbal, said the boys were already working with the borough’s youth offending team.

Wasim Choudhry, for Farooq, said the order should give his client a chance to ‘prove himself’ over the next few months.

Speaking after the case, Coun Naeem Ashraf, who represents Brierfield, said that latest figures for the ward had shown a rise in anti-social behaviour. He said he hoped the ASBOs would reverse the trend and said: “It is great news for the residents of Brierfield. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”