PENSIONERS are pleading with council bosses to move a bus shelter they claim has became a hang-out for bored teenagers.

The elderly people, living in bungalows close to the bus stop in Larches Lane and Larches Avenue, Preston, say they are being terrorised by youths.

They claim the youngsters play football in and around the shelter and throw stones at passing cars and nearby homes. Anyone who dares to complain faces a torrent of abuse.

A 20-signature petition has been presented to Preston Borough Council in the hope that the council will resolve the problem. They have resolved to monitor the situation for three months.

Resident Frank Kelly said: "Our intention is to stop juveniles causing nuisance and damaging our property.

"This is a situation which is getting worse and affecting the quality of our lives.

"The bus shelter is used for football most nights and sometimes all day.

"Balls hit our windows and some of the juveniles have started throwing stones at our windows, cars and security lighting. Any reproach is ignored. We believe that a great improvement would be to relocate the bus shelter and replace it with a conventional bus stop. It is the shelter which is the problem."

Preston Bus has investigated complaints in the past but say they haven't found a problem. Police agree - they say the area isn't one of their local crime 'hot-spots'.

A council spokesman said: "We have had similar problems in the past in other areas but while we sympathise with the complainants, we cannot allow bus passenger comfort to be compromised."

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