A meeting was held in the Ashburn Hotel last Thursday night to discuss numerous problems, including criminal activity and anti-social behaviour affecting residents.

However, the meeting was cut short because the police failed to attend.

One resident said he had been tormented by teenagers' behaviour over the years, "The park is used as a drinking den and a urinal - it is not pleasant.

"On Saturday and Sunday mornings the place is a sea of broken glass and litter.

"The council clean the site regularly to make sure those children actually playing on it do not get injured, but to be honest there is no real need for the play park in the area. There's never many children playing in the area, it is used more by the older crowd."

Another resident said there was no point in attending a meeting, "The older kids tear the place apart at night, there's no end to the trouble.

"They have ripped up fences and destroyed hedges and when the police come out they move off. But they move to the alleyways at the backs of the houses, where all kinds of stuff goes on, not just drink but drugs as well.

"If you say anything to these kids then all you get is a lot of abuse and I don't want my windows put through, so I have decided it's best to just ignore them - as they're not my kids.

"I did not see the point in going to the meeting because there has been years of talks and meetings and nothing has come from it.

"Gates were put up along the alley to stop the kids getting down but they were made from wood and they were just kicked down.

"Signs were put up saying scramblers and quads are not allowed but they are ignored.

"These problems happen everywhere and the police have some responsibility but questions have to be asked of the parents."

A council spokesman said the site was visited three times per week for maintenance, the only play park in the borough to receive such attention - making the cost of maintenance the highest in the borough.