Village yobs 'running out of control"

They have vandalised Golborne Library, set fire to shops and last weekend trashed Peter Kane Square - the town's tribute to the village's late world champion boxer.

It is also claimed owners and staff of Italian and Asian restaurants have suffered racial abuse from the hard core gang of vandals which ignores the presence of CCTV cameras.

Now calls have been made to intensify security patrols in the area.

A businessman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges residents are scared to report crime because of threats. One has had lighted paper put through the letterbox and another threatened for being a grass.

He said: "Shops are being broken into and set on fire, the library is being hammered, and it seems nothing is being done to prosecute those responsible.

"The youngsters are drinking and drugged up. Golborne is a small village with the potential to be a thriving town but it is being destroyed by a handful of mindless morons.

"We are struggling to get a prosecution, and police and politicians seem to be impotent.

"The Golborne Community Forum has met police, MPs and councillors, but the situation is getting worse not better. It is unreal."

At the weekend the new square was attacked for the first time, when a bench was ripped up and block paving taken up."

Leigh MP Andy Burnham, who last week called for a crackdown on youth vandalism and lawlessness in Parliament, said: "I am aware of this problem in Golborne, it is the same all over the patch. There are some shocking things happening.

"This is criminal damage, it is serious, totally unacceptable, and something can and must be done. It is time society took a harder line.

"We know that the police need more resources, but some forces have changed their shift patterns so that there are more officers available at the times when crime is being committed. Parents and teachers also have a part to play."

A Leigh police spokesman said: "Anything we can do is being done, I can assure people of that.

"Reports of youth nuisance are followed up. There may be a lack of communication, but everything that has been identified is allocated to someone to deal with. Things are in hand.

"This lawlessness is a problem all over the sub division. The trouble is everyone knows their rights but no-one knows their responsibilities.

"Society has changed, children these days have more money and fire themselves up with alcohol and do things they wouldn't do if they were sober.

"A lot of the offenders are juveniles who get bailed and end up back on the streets. We are looking at anti-social orders, and licensed outlets who sell to underage drinkers exacerbate the problem. They should be warned they will lose their licences.

"If members of the public have any concerns they should speak to the area officer, who will be willing to visit their homes."

Cllr David Kelly said: "Security arrangements are now being looked at with the chance of identifying the people responsible. We need security patrols to keep more of a vigil.

"It is disappointing for everyone who worked so hard to see the square being treated like this. For 12 months it has been left alone, now a few people have decided to use it as a playground. We are investigating ways of putting a stop to it."