THE mother of a cerebral palsy sufferer claims threats from gangs of teenagers on an Accrington estate are making her family's life a misery.

Angela Burton says she and her two daughters have had 11 months of verbal abuse since moving into a council house in Downham Drive, Fern Gore.

The 47-year-old claims youths from one family on the estate are constantly taunting disabled Sharon, 27, who needs crutches and a wheelchair to get around.

Angela says her other daughter, 13-year-old Emma, who goes to Moorhead High in Accrington, is barracked about her size and has to walk home via backstreets to avoid the gangs.

Angela says the teenagers have peppered her home with stones and even threw a brick at her as she walked to a nearby shop.

She claims to have reported the incidents to police and housing bosses at the council, but says they have not responded. And she says the trouble has made her so nervous that she has been put on two types of tranquillisers by her GP.

Angela said: "We have been harassed since we moved here last November.

"We got this council house as it has a disabled ramp and a lift from the kitchen to the bedroom which helps us move Sharon, because she has cerebral palsy.

"Emma has a big figure and has to walk all round the estate to stay out of the way of these gangs because they block her path and give her abuse.

"I have kept a log of the incidents and told the police and the council but they haven't been back in touch. I've asked a couple of the councillors to help out.

"I've lived in Fern Gore before and it used to be peaceful, but I've had nothing but trauma since I came back. They are making my life a misery."

A spokesman for Hyndburn Council said: "The housing department issued Mrs Brown with a diary to record incidents of anti-social behaviour some months ago, but we have heard nothing since.

"It is normal council procedure to issue such diaries so that we can measure the severity and frequency of someone's offending behaviour, putting us in a much stronger position to prosecute offenders successfully."

A spokesman for Accrington Police added: "We have had some reports of juvenile nuisance and an area beat officer has been making enquiries to see how we can assist this lady.

"She has been given advice about what she should do in these situations, which includes filling in the diary so we can get the full picture."

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