FED-up residents have received further backing in their battle to bring peace to their area.

A pensioners' bowling club has supported their complaints to police about yobs wrecking Bedford park, and Leigh's prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate Laurance Wedderburn is hoping to set up a meeting between Sandersons Croft residents, police and councillors to tackle the issue.

In a letter to Leigh's Township Inspector Steve Wilkinson, a spokesman for Butts Park Pensioners' Club said two years ago vandalism on and around the greens had been reported to the police, Wigan Council and Leigh MP Andy Burnham.

This had resulted in repairs to the pavilion, a high hedge removed and secure gates erected, but the problem has not gone away and vandalism is worse than ever.

He said: "The green itself is hardly fit to play on, it is full of holes, ruts and tyre marks. It is littered daily with fast food cartons, bottles and cans among other things.

"Youths are congregating round the pensioners' hut nightly when they are not there. They have removed the door from the storage area and smashed windows and are using it as a meeting area.

"Residents counted 54 youths rampaging on the green on a recent weekend and adults were reportedly seen dropping off carrier bags of drink.

"All this and the noise they create is disturbing to householders.

"The situation seems to have worsened since the purge on troublemakers in Lilford Park and other areas of the town. It seems to be a case of move them from one area and they find another spot to congregate,

"We support the claims of residents and fully appreciate their frustration at the lack of concern by the authorities to their plight.

"I am not surprised police report a 50pc drop in antisocial behaviour calls, you ring and get no response time after time, or there is an answerphone and when the call is followed up the horse has bolted As a result you just give up.

"We would like to know what action has been taken against these troublemakers, how many have been spoken to and how many warned of the consequences of their misbehaviour. How many anti-social orders have been issued?"

He said: "We are pensioners who bowl in two leagues and all we want is to be left alone."

In response to the letter Insp Wilkinson said: "Earlier this year I met with local residents, ward councillors and our MP to discuss problems with anti-social behaviour in the area around Butts Bridge, Hooten Lane and East Leigh Labour Club.

"We responded to local concerns by committing extra resources to a police operation in the area. A range of tactics were used to tackle the problem including the introduction of a dispersal order under the Crime and Disorder Act.

"As a result of this operation, which finished on March 29, we experienced a 50% reduction in complaints about anti-social behaviour compared to both three months and 12 months previously.

"However, in recent weeks calls about anti-social behaviour have started to rise again and I have received a number of new complaints from residents in and around the Butts Bridge area.

"As a result, I have tasked a Community Beat Office sergeant to contact all those people who have made complaints to see if there is any further information that could lead to arrests being made.

"He will also be working on an action plan for the area to combat anti-social behaviour and reassure local residents."