DEEPDALE residents are being plagued by youngsters who are using a neighbouring building as a launch pad for dangerous missiles.

Families living in St James' Road, Deepdale, are living in fear as children as young as five climb 70ft up the adjacent British Telecom fire escape and throw things into their back yards.

One angry resident, Sue Gornall, said she witnessed one youngster throw a concrete block about 4ins by 3ins from the stairs, over the garages and in to her yard.

She said: "I told them it was extremely dangerous and that the stone could have killed someone.

"Even little ones as young as five are being enticed up the stairs and told to throw things."

And now councillor John Collins has called for BT to take urgent action to stop children gaining access to the fire escape before there is a tragedy. Councillor Collins said: "It is incredibly dangerous for the children of the area and the residents of St James' Road and Derwentwater Place."

A spokesperson for BT said: "We do take safety and security matters very seriously and we have now introduced measures to maintain the safety of both the children involved and residents in the area."

Razor wire tape was put in place at the weekend and the company also plans to covering the rails in anti-climb paint -- paint which does not technically dry and sticks to its 'victims'.

And while measures are taken to stop children playing on the premises, Sue said she did not want the company to close off the area completely as it provided an excellent play area for them without disturbing residents. She said: "We don't want children playing in the roads and parents don't like them playing in local parks. If it means supervising play areas then that's what our council tax should be spent on."