POLICE said they were winning the war on yobs in a Blackburn community marred by a spate of brick attacks on taxis.

Last week we revealed how groups of 30 teenagers had been hiding at the side of Shadsworth Road, Shadsworth, Blackburn and hurling objects at passing cars.

The yobs were ambushing cars at a zebra crossing - one teenager would use the crossing so that a vehicle slows down, allowing other group members a better aim.

But police said that since they had stepped up extra patrols in the area last week, there had been no further incidents. Officers have also been travelling undercover in taxis and visiting schools to issue warnings.

Police Constable Tori Joyce, community beat manager for the Shadsworth area, said: “Since we started taking positive action there have been no complaints.

“The teenagers know that there might be police in an unmarked vehile following taxis and appear to have decided not to misbehave.”

Meanwhile, a resident living near the zebra crossing targeted said the antics of the yobs in recent weeks had left her family too scared to go outside.

Susan Toner said: “There are always a lot of kids hanging around. I’d say they are about 14-years-old and we feel very threatened by them.

“We’ve had our fence posts loosened and plants ripped out of the garden.

“It’s a very lonely ginnel and it isn’t lit. Sometimes they use it as a toilet. It’s disgusting.

“I have reported the behaviour to the police and asked Twin Valley Housing to fit a light in the ginnel as a deterrant to the kids.”

Twin Valley Housing confirmed its staff had been in touch with Mrs Toner and her daughter, but were unable to comment further on the situation.

PC Joyce added: “Our advice to residents is not to confront the youths themselves, but to make the police aware of any problems.

“We are conducting high-visability policing controls in the area and do these up and down the ginnel Mrs Toner is talking about.

“We take names and details of any youths we come across in the ginnel and speak to their parents.”