DEMOLITION work on a troubled estate is being blamed for a 400 per cent rise in juvenile nuisance.

Overall crime in Huncoat has fallen by 78 reported offences but juvenile nuisance has increased from 14 to 65 offences compared with last year.

The figures, based on police reports up to June 20, 2002 , were revealed at the Huncoat Area Council Meeting by Inspector Phil Cottam of Accrington police.

He said: "Most of the juvenile nuisance is close to the demolition work on the Within Grove estate. There was a high increase centred around the demolition site.

"It is disappointing that it is showing such an increase in the juvenile nuisances but if we look at the total figures there are 78 less victims of crime compared to last year which has to be good news.

"A lot of people are working hard to make Huncoat a better place so if there are other things occurring that people are not telling police about they need to let us know."

Sharron Connery, youth development worker for Huncoat, confirmed that problems had risen but said she hoped a new initiative would help reduce disruption.

She said: "We are now developing a youth cafe and information centre which will be open to all young people in the Huncoat area. The reason there is so much juvenile nuisance in the area is there is nothing for them to do so we are trying to solve that problem.

"Unfortunately the demolition work has proved interesting for the young people as a lot of the properties still had people's possessions inside them but we have spoken to them about the dangers of going into the buildings and there has been a reduction in the last three weeks."

Inspector Cottam also reported that the number of incidents attended by police officers in Huncoat had more than doubled. The number of call-outs by police was 722, compared with 346 last year, which he said indicated the rise in nuisance despite actual crime being down.

Other crime figures for Huncoat showed that:

the total number of crimes reported had fallen from 221 in 2001 to 143 in 2002;

burglaries of homes had dropped from 24 to 20;

burglaries of buildings other than homes were reduced from 32 to 15;

criminal damage fell from 42 to 31;

stealing of and from motor vehicles stayed the same at 22;

there were no offences of robbery.

The only other significant rise in reported offences was cases of violence and disorder which rose from 29 last year to 49. Inspector Cottam said that most of this increased figure was due to an increase in reports of domestic violence.

He said: "More people are coming forward as a result of campaigns into domestic violence. It is possibly more the case that people now have more confidence to come forward and report these types of offences rather than there being an actual increase in domestic violence."

A new community police police officer is expected to be introduced to residents at the next meeting in September. The officer is one of four new beat bobbies being introduced to particular areas of Hyndburn.

Coun Dave Parkins, ward councillor for Huncoat, said: "The figures overall are positive. Good work is being done by the Lancashire Youth Association through Rank Foundation funding and we have to keep on top of that.

"Parents also need to remember that they have a responsibility too with regard to juvenile nuisance and should check where their children are. The police are doing their best with the resources they have got."