ANGRY shoppers have condemned a Worcester store for encouraging young thugs to buy catapults and laser pens.

The Entertainment Zone, in Angel Place, calls on 'bored teenagers' to buy the nuisance toys.

A large notice outside reads 'Bored Teenagers!! Not here!! All you need is...' over a shopping list of items of nuisance toys including catapults, laser pens and realistic-looking BB guns.

It comes after yobbish behaviour went to the top of the political agenda, with complaints of gangs of youths terrorising adults in the streets.

Shoppers say the advert is encouraging anti-social behaviour and want it removed.

"It's not very helpful - it's just aiding and abetting trouble," said Christine Wall, from Cyril Road, Rainbow Hill.

"I've had caps thrown at me by lads and however non-threatening they are it is still alarming."

Maggie Jones, from Kempsey, said: "It's got to contribute to anti-social behaviour."

Natasha Barnes, from Cranham Drive, Warndon, said parents needed to decide whether their children should have the toys but admitted they could cause problems.

"Kids shot a BB gun through my neighbour's window and that's why she moved, because of all the anti-social behaviour," she said.

But shop manager David Przygocki denied there was anything irresponsible about the sales technique and accused people of being too politically correct.

"It is like saying music is responsible for behaviour - silly people like whining," he said. "Kids who want to cause a problem will cause a problem."

Signs in the shop warn youngsters not to throw stink bombs in shops and Mr Przygocki claimed to have turned customers down if he thought they were troublemakers.

Chief Inspector Sharon Gibbons, of South Worcestershire division, said today: "The items are not in themselves illegal, and we would certainly discourage anyone from using them in an anti-social way."

Police: We're already tackling gangs

TACKLING yob culture was high on the list of topics in the Queen's Speech - but it is already being tackled head-on in Worcester according to police.

Tony Blair's proposals to 'reclaim the streets for the decent majority' came at the same time as the Chief Superintendent of Greater Manchester police declared that cities and towns across Britain are at the mercy of packs of 'feral yobs' running wild beyond the reach of law or society.

But Chief Inspector Sharon Gibbons, of South Worcestershire police, said, while there were individuals who caused problems in Worcester, the vast majority of people - including youngsters - were law-abiding.

"The South Worcestershire Division has shown a significant, determined and continuing commitment to tackling anti-social behaviour and, in this, we seek always to work closely with the local community, with local authorities and with other agencies," she said.

She added that it was recognised that a small number of individuals refuse to change their unacceptable behaviour.

"In these cases, we actively seek to implement Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, which already are having a significant effect," she said.

"We firmly believe that these matters are the responsibility of the whole community."

Hoodie teens hit back - read Talkback tomorrow