A HUNDRED angry people gathered in a room and demanded to know what was being done to save Hyndburn's parks.

As the shouting and jeering got louder, it was obvious that this issue was really touching a nerve.

These were scenes rarely seen at a council meeting, let alone a meeting of the Oswaldtwistle area council.

The residents in question say they are at their wits' end. They claim they have been effectively barred from the popular Rhyddings Park by teenagers who gather there at night, drinking, swearing, vandalising -- even using the pavements as toilets.

In other areas, such behaviour would raise eyebrows. But for the councillors and officers from Hyndburn Council, the stories from residents are sadly all too familiar.

That is because the case of Rhyddings Park is less than exceptional. Similar tales have been told by residents near to Gatty Park, Church and Oakhill Park, the borough's flagship open space in Accrington.

Now councillors have vowed to win the parks back for the borough.

It isn't before time, say local residents. Some do not want to be named. Those who have in the past, they say, have paid a price -- a window being put through or excreta appearing on the doormat.

One mother-of-two who lives near Rhyddings Park said: "I remember growing up and playing there but I have no chance of doing that with my youngsters. "If it is a nice evening, we are confined to the back garden. I daren't take the children into the park. The teenagers stand around in large groups, drinking alcopops. They swear and throw their bottles on the floor, smashing them all over the ground. That makes the park unsafe during the day.

"I asked one lad to be quiet and he told me in no uncertain terms what he thought. They even go to the toilet there and relish doing it in front of others."

One elderly bowler told last week's area council meeting: "They even booby trap our bowling green, smashing bottles and burying them in the ground. That, to me, is very worrying."

In nearby Gatty Park, a war memorial was vandalised last week, with youngsters drawing a massive number seven on the back to honour their hero David Beckham. They don't like him enough to spell his name correctly -- they missed the H out of the scrawl, which will have to be sandblasted off. Bowling greens there have also been vandalised -- with gangs of girls running across the pitches during games while Elmfield Hall, within the grounds of the park, is regularly attacked. Barbara Cliffe, of the Church Central Residents' Association, said: "People just won't come on here now because of the problems. Nothing appears to be sacred and we are forever cleaning up after them.

"This place is supposed to be for the public, not the vandals."

Council leader Peter Britcliffe also led the condemnation of the vandals when they struck in Oakhill Park, wrecking a pets' corner. Drivers regularly report having bricks thrown at them when they drive past, while broken glass has meant dog walkers now stick to roads around the park, home of Accrington's cenotaph.

But is there a solution? Yes, according to Barry Emmett, youth and community manager for Lancashire County Council in Hyndburn. He said: "Give them somewhere to go and they will behave. Elsewhere, youth shelters have been built and the problem has stopped. They go there, appreciate it is theirs and they look after it."

He cited a skate-park built in the borough as an example of children playing harmlessly alongside residents.

Councillors, however, have a different solution. Coun Doug Hayes, who holds the council portfolio for crime and disorder, said: "In Rhyddings Park, a youth shelter would only serve to attract more youngsters and possibly make the situation worse, which is why we are saying no to it. As a council, we have a duty to tackle crime and disorder.

"Each park has its own problems. CCTV is being considered for Gatty Park, while we are looking at options for Rhyddings Park, including closing it at night.

"We are also considering whether bringing back park caretakers would be a good idea."

The police too, are determined to crack down on the problem. Patrols of Oakhill Park now take place at night.

But residents claim the problems in Rhyddings Park have only got worse since a police operation in Oswaldtwistle to move gangs of juveniles off the streets and into a park, where they are told to behave.

Sgt Ian Hanson said: "There are still problems and we are looking to address them but we have slashed juvenile crime by 71 per cent since the start of this operation. The youngsters know they have to behave or they will be punished. We are looking at the ringleaders and aiming to take them out. There is no truth in the rumour that we have told youngsters they can drink in the park."

Whatever the solution, it needs to come quickly.