Inside the quaint town held prisoner by packs of drug-crazed yobs who lob bricks at buses, attack OAPs and torch loos

RESIDENTS of a pretty town say they’re being held hostage by a gang of lawless teens who have left them frightened to leave their own homes.

Quaint Crook, in County Durham, was once a thriving market town known for its churches, community events and stunning countryside.

Residents of a bucolic town say they’re often frightened to leave their homes after a surge in anti-social behaviour and violence driven by teen gangsNNP

Andy Palmer, who moved to Crook in Co Durham to care for his mother, grew up in Hackney – and said the northern town has more problemsNNP

Shop windows have been damaged in the town centre, and bus drivers say objects including beer bottles are hurled at their vehicles ‘almost every other day’NNP

But locals say that over the past six months, their lives have been turned upside down by thugs who allegedly take drugs in the street, assault elderly ladies and hurl rocks at buses.

One driver claimed objects like beer bottles are hurled at buses “nearly every other day”.

A single chemists had every single window smashed by the youths. Shop windows are often now boarded up.

A public toilet was torched – despite lying in view of the police station. It has not yet been repaired, with plywood instead drilled over the doorway.

Now furious residents have urged cops to take action against the gangs, fearing the situation is out of police control.

The bucolic town has a population of just 10,019 – and one in five are aged 65 and over.

Andy Palmer, 44, moved to the area four years ago to care for his elderly mum.

“It’s getting worse and worse,” he said.

“The kids have no respect for authority or the police and there’s no consequences for their actions.

“I grew up in London on death mile, in Hackney, and there was respect there – but there’s none here.

“I have six children aged one to 14 and I don’t let them out here. I would rather they played out in Hackney.

“The kids smash windows and are violent.”

He alleged a woman in her 60s and an elderly lady were assaulted in the town centre.

“The police station is open between 11am and 3pm four days a week, as if crime stops after 3pm,” he said.

Anti-social behaviour has surged in the area. In January, 107 offences were reported – a seven-year high

“Something needs to be done but the police and teachers are too scared to do anything.”

Crime stats for the postcode show that in January, reports of anti-social behaviour spiked to the highest levels seen in seven years.

In total, 107 offences were reported – nearing the 116 reports made in May 2015. The number from this January is double the 54 offences reported in August last year.

In addition, 85 violent crimes were recorded in January alone – four-and-a-half times the number reported during the same month ten years ago.

Between February last year and this January, 1,144 offences of violence were reported, making it the biggest crime to affect locals.

By comparison, 847 reports of anti-social behaviour and 345 of arson and criminal damage were made over the same period.

CRIME SOARS

Joan Clement, 76, has lived in Crook since she was born. She said life has dramatically worsened over the past six months.

The retired shop worker said: “I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s rapidly gone downhill.

“It makes me really upset as this is my home town and I hate to see it this way.

“The parents aren’t doing anything about it.

“[A gang] threw a brick at a bus driver. What would they have done if they killed him?

“This has gone on for six months now and there’s no repercussions for their actions.

Alan Longstaff said drug taking in younger residents is ‘rife’ and violence is commonNNP

A toilet block has been blocked off after it was torchedNNP

Cops have visited young people’s homes and are texting their parents as part of a new initiative to crack down on troubleNNP

“They’ve smashed the windows of numerous businesses. They don’t have to pay anything for the damage and they don’t care about the cost to them.”

She said drug-taking often happens in Crook’s “lovely” park.

“They congregate in the centre on an evening. There’s about 10 to 15 of them. It’s intimidating to walk past,” she said.

“It’s a small minority but they are ruining it for everyone else.”

Alan Longstaff, 72, said: “There’s no controlling them.

“The police need to be doing something about all of this.

“The teenagers stand near the bus stop around 7pm to 9pm and you can overhear tales of what they’ve had to drink and what they’ve taken.

“The drug taking is rife and they get violent among themselves.

“I can imagine the elderly population is scared of them.”

MP for North West Durham, Richard Holden, said reports of “difficult” anti-social behaviour have been made to police.

“Overall, given the size of the area, anti-social behaviour remains lower than in many other areas with an average of fewer than three incidents a day,” he said.

“But when it does happen it can be very concerning, especially with some of these recent incidents which involve a group of young people.”

‘NEVER ACCEPTABLE’

Local PCSO Keith Jayne recently launched Op Habu – with officers texting parents when their kids behave badly in the town.

Inspector Ed Turner of Crook Police said: “Anti-social behaviour and criminality is never acceptable and we continue to work closely with our partners and more importantly parents to problem-solve around the issue.

“We have had a really positive reaction from the majority of parents in a recent operation which has helped us to help them and we continue to urge the remaining minority to take personal responsibility for their children’s behaviour.”

And Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s public protection manager, said officials have visited teens in their family homes in a bid to crack down on trouble.

“Residents have a right to feel safe and supported in their communities,” he said.

“We’re aware of some concerns being raised around some issues in Crook and are working closely with our partners at Durham Constabulary to tackle these and help educate those involved.

“So far, we’ve issued warning letters, carried out home visits and implemented several acceptable behaviour contracts, which are a voluntary written agreement between a young person and ourselves in which the youth agrees not to take part in specific anti-social acts.”

Anyone affected by a crime is encouraged to contact police, he said.