DRUNK teenage yobs who have turned a popular park into a no-go area at nights are about to have their weekend hang-out reclaimed by police.

Officers will launch the new initiative in Oak Hill Park, Baxenden, tomorrow night after protests from residents about the nuisance caused by juveniles.

The situation worsened when thugs slaughtered a rabbit called Thumper in the park's pet pen.

The fresh initiative has been co-ordinated by Sergeant Mark Porter, who said his team had been getting a lot of complaints from residents and people who use the park about problems there, mainly at weekends.

He said: "It's quite clear we need to put more resources into the park, using a different variety of policing methods, one of which is looking at where they get their drink from."

Foot patrols will also be stepped up within the park, and Sgt Porter's team, which is made up of 10 officers and covers Baxenden and Woodnook, will have the support of the police dog section and the mounted horse unit.

He added: "Police patrolling the park will be filming activities with a camcorder and we are looking at installing CCTV in the future.

"And if the police helicopter is out on a job and is returning over the area we will be asking them as a matter of course that it flies over the park and let's us know if anything we need to know about is happening."

But he was keen to enlist the support of parents in controlling problems within the park. He said: "Parents have a responsibility to keep an eye on their children. They must notice them coming in drunk at the end of a night. I'd ask them to think about if the really know where there children go at night."

He said: "I have been up there and seen up to 40 to 50 young people drinking, mostly on a Friday, but all across the weekend.

"During the day it's just a pleasant park with people using it for what it should be used for, but the problems start at night when young people, aged from 12 to 19, start drinking, the main one being vandalism and and graffiti. They leave bottles all over the park and cars get damaged, parked on Hollings Lane and the Haworth Art Gallery, which also has had windows smashed."

Sgt Porter said he believed most of the children who meet at the park are local, although some come from as far away as Billington and Haslingden. He said they tend to congregate on the park's bandstand, or in the shelter, known locally as the "50 pence."

Anyone who wishes to speak to the police about the incident can speak to Sgt Porter on 01254 353721. Alternatively, information can be left in confidence with Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.