YOUNGSTERS on an estate in Darwen are making residents' lives a nightmare, locals claim.

A pensioner in Birch Hall Avenue, on the Birch Hall Estate, says that her life is being ruined by gangs of children 'running riot'.

She says about 15 children, aged from six to 14, are running in and out of people's gardens as well as knocking on windows and doors.

The 77-year-old says the unruly youngsters have left rubbish in her garden and are also a nuisance to other elderly people living nearby.

She said: "We could do without all this aggravation when we are getting old. I can't keep running to the door to answer when they knock. It's really not fair.

"The parents should try to control these children more because if something is not done, someone is going to get hurt."

Neighbour Mrs Doris Lofthouse said: "We've had footballs coming into our garden and had children coming in, too, until we put something up to stop them.

"Mainly they are aged up to about fourteen but there's nowhere for them to play. There are no play areas left at all on the estate."

Sgt Andrea Bradbury of Darwen Police said they had received a complaint letter from somebody else about the problem and averaged around a call a day from people on the estate, complaining about matters such as juvenile nuisance.

She went on: "There is a very young population and the estate experiences no problems worse than anywhere else."

She said that Community Beat Officer at the station Mick Hodges was to liaise with the resident who had made the complaint.

She added that there were planned facilities for youngsters in Darwen in the future, including the creation of a skate park.