Residents in the Victoria Street/Lake Street area have been tortured by teenage thugs using the old Clendinning’s Factory site as a drinking den.

The site has also become a dumping ground with the rubbish dumped used as fuel for bonfires on an almost nightly basis.

Now the developers who own the site have promised action to secure the site properly – while local authorities have taken steps to bring some of those responsible for the illegal dumping to book.

The ‘MAIL’ understands details of some of those responsible for the dumping have been recovered from waste left at the site.

Details of complaints of noxious smells, and acrid smoke coming from the fires have been passed to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

The owners of the site – Pacific Wharf Holdings – have also been contacted by local authorities and they have given assurances all rubbish will be removed from the site.

The have also promised to repair broken fencing and to close and padlock the access gate to prevent further dumping.

The former factory site has planning permission for housing and, it’s understood, construction is to go ahead.

Councillor Dolores Kelly came under attack in the area several weeks ago – following the shameful desecration of graves at the Dougher Cemetery.

She was injured in that attack and the rear window of her car was shattered.

For residents in the area it’s an all too familiar story with drunken youngsters targeting passing cars.

Councillors Kelly and Mary McAlinden have expressed their disgust at the state of the development site..

Cllr McAlinden visited the site and was immediately overcome by the foul stench. She commented, "I don’t know how the people of Victoria St and Lake St live with this eyesore, the stench is sickening. The sad thing is that the site is used as a playground on a daily basis by children as young as five or six years of age. The health hazards for these children are there for all to see!"

Cllr Kelly said: "I contacted the developers of this site more than a year ago and was promised that building would be commencing very soon on this site. In the meantime young children and teenagers are using the rubble to attack passing cars. I myself, had the misfortune of having my car vandalised and suffered an ankle injury on the evening I visited the Dougher Cemetery after graves had been desecrated by these same youths! I wonder if the parents of these young hooligans really know what their children are up to when they are away from home!"