RESIDENTS in a cul-de-sac say their lives are being made a misery by teenage drinkers who hang around their street and vandalise property.

Monica Brierley, 60, of Chapel Street, Oswaldtwistle, said seven wing mirrors had been kicked off cars on the street.

She said: "I have lived here for seven years and every weekend there's a pile of kids causing damage. I want something done, I've had two years of it. They are aged around 13 to 14 and walk up and down the street, some of them are coming from Accrington.

"Every weekend somebody's wing mirror gets smashed. They are all holding bottles of drink. It's devastating. I want to move. It's so bad. There's no peace.

"They gather at the chapel at the top of the street drinking and being foul-mouthed. If they were quiet we wouldn't bother but we can't cope with this lot. I've had enough."

She said residents were now planning to hold a meeting with the police, councillors and local shopkeepers to try to put an end to the problem.

Neighbour Stephen Parkinson said: "Six months ago it died down but now the problem has come back. People are just terrified."

Another resident who did not wish to be named said: "We are in constant touch with the police. They do patrol but not all the time".

Ian Cogle, the manager of Bargain Booze, near Chapel Street, said: "Staff are trained not to sell to under-age drinkers but our problem is when much older people buy drink for teenagers. There is a surveillance camera outside to deter troublemakers and we are liaising with police to try to reduce the problem of under-age drinkers."

Sgt Ian Hanson of Accrington police said: "We have stepped up patrols in the area and a high visibility foot patrol is very much in evidence in the Union Road and Chapel Street area. The police are taking a very firm line with these youngsters."

He added an early warning scheme was now in operation for shopkeepers if under-age drinkers were in the area so they could warn each other and a meeting was being planned for licensees in the area outlining precisely what their responsibilities were.