TEENAGE prostitutes and drug dealers plying their trade from hostels along Fishergate Hill are being told to "get out and stay out" by angry locals.

Shops and businesses in the area have raised a several hundred-strong petition to try and get rid of gangs of dealers and prostitutes who, say traders, are blighting the area.

In one recent incident, an elderly man was solicited by two young teenage girls after coming out of the Broadgate Post Office with his pension.

It's not the first time the Fishergate Hill and the Broadgate areas of town have been in the spotlight.

Last April, many residents contacted the Citizen to report incidents of racial crime and burglaries in the West Cliff area of Broadgate.

Now, campaigners are planning to hold a public meeting shortly to discuss ways of tackling the problem.

Valerie Hunt, who owns a hair salon on Fishergate Hill, teamed up with local councillor Elaine Abbot to organise the petition.

She said: "Something urgently needs to be done around here. Both myself and other shops along here have a copy of the petition for people to sign.

"We are all so sick and tired of it all."

She added: "One of my elderly clients was assaulted and beaten up by two girls recently while walking down Fishergate Hill."

Councillor Abbot said: "The main problem is that we have an area which has a majority of decent, law abiding people.

"Unfortunately, there is a minority of trouble-makers who are spoiling the area. This is made worse by dubious hostel landlords who turn a blind eye to what these people are doing."

She added: "The police have been very supportive of our efforts and are happy to attend a public meeting shortly."