ELDERLY residents have criticised the police for failing to act swiftly to stop half-term holiday yobs making their lives hell.

They say youngsters have been hanging around Lingfield Court, Feniscowles, banging on windows, pressing intercoms, kicking cars, running on roofs and damaging benches.

When the residents contacted the police they were told they were unable to send an officer down -- and they got the same response two days later.

But Inspector Judith Finney said someone would go to the complex and that they had always intended to visit.

Residents had turned to Twin Valley Homes, who run the Lingfield, for help. They visited and agreed to contact the police on the residents' behalf, if the youngsters could be identified.

But the residents said they just wanted a quick end to harassment.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "The police did nothing. I phoned them on Saturday, then on Sunday and Monday. These are old people and they are frightened.

"The police told me to ring 999 and when I did they said 'why have you rung 999?' The police are a waste of time.

"Kids have been threatening to smash windows and the residents don't know what is going to happen.

"It starts in the afternoon. They were even trying to saw the benches up on Saturday. They also tried to smash the trees down. We are so fed up we are thinking of moving."

"We are frightened to leave our cars and frightened to go away - the fright is enough to kill some of the older residents." who have been pestered by young people making a nuisance of themselves.

"Anyone who runs across the roofs is putting themselves in danger and trespassing. If the individuals involved are identified we will take further action, involving the police as necessary, on behalf of the tenants."

Insp Finney, who works in the Feniscowles area, said: "We have had two calls from the residents at Lingfield Court. On both occasions they wanted an officer who wasn't on duty and arrangements were been made for it to be followed up later."