POLICE have asked parents to keep an eye on their children this summer, after last year's holidays revealed an increase in hoax and noise nuisance calls.

Thirty more hoax calls took place during Thursday, July 18, to Sunday, September 15, last year, than the 554 calls received in the seven weeks before the school holidays.

Calls to police in the South Worcestershire division about noise nuisance increased over the same holiday period by 20 to 163.

But calls about criminal damage dropped slightly from 524 to 488 during the summer holidays, and calls about general public nuisances were down from 576 to 549.

Police claim that school holidays can be a period when youngsters with time on their hands could be involved in criminal activity.

"During the school holidays we can see an escalation in minor nuisance problems such as noise and hoax calls and we would ask parents to be aware of where their children are and what activities they are taking part in," said Sgt Geoff Murphy.

"To anyone making a hoax call I would remind them that it could delay a genuine emergency call, for we will only downgrade a call when we are confident someone is not in genuine trouble.

"Clearly, this takes time and this delay could result in lives being put at risk for those who genuinely need police assistance."

Kim Stain, a spokeswoman for Worcester police, said it was only a small minority of youngsters who were to blame.

"During summer holidays many youngsters go on holiday with their parents," she said.

"The small minority that cause problems for others are the same minority, whether it's the school holidays or not."

Gangs of teenagers 'not all bad'

TEENAGE gangs called The Cripplegate Crew, the Hoodfillers and the Tolly Army are out on the streets of Worcester.

Their members are 13 and 14-year-olds and they are believed to be as "yobbish" as the gangs that hang around Cranham Drive in Warndon.

The Cripplegate Crew come from St John's, the Hoodfillers are from Brickfields, and the Tolly Army from Tolladine.

A group of teenagers from Nunnery Wood High School, sitting on a grassy verge by County Hall, said the gangs were not all bad.

"A lot of youngsters think it is cool to hang around in gangs," said one 16-year-old from Warndon Villages.

"In Warndon there are gangs of 20 to 25 kids ranging from the age of 10 to 13, but we are not in gangs ourselves."

Ian Stockford, aged 18, of Cannon Street, said his friends hung around at his house, but he said there were many problem teenagers in the area.

"There are a lot of bad teenagers in Worcester that hang out together," he said.

Generations in harmony

THE generation gap is being bridged across parts of the city, helping the oldest and youngest in society to respect each other.

Age Concern Worcester and District is forging relationships between senior citizens and youths by organising social events for senior citizens with young people helping out.

"It's wonderful to see the reaction between the two age groups," said Patricia Blacknell, services co-ordinator at Age Concern Worcester and District.

"It helps youngsters to see older people as individuals. It's a shame the good side of teenagers is not seen often."

Mrs Blacknell said pupils from Elgar High School were just some of the school children who helped out with pensioners.

"There are two boys from there who come very Wednesday, to help out at the lunch club at Bilford Court," she said.

Lynne Matthews of Age Concern Herefordshire and Worcestershire, an insurance and tradings manager said pensioners concerned about safety should read the book A Practical Guide For Protection and Maintaining Your Home. It is available from Age Concern in Sansome Street, Worcester.

Theory of petty fires

YOUNGSTERS with idle hands could be responsible for grass fires, claims the fire brigade.

Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford and Worcester fire brigade said during half-term and the summer holidays it was a fact that the number of petty fires increased.

"There has been an increase in fires in the holidays, particularly when the weather has been dry and youngsters have nothing to do, so they try to start a fire," he said.

Mr Mackie said Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade visited schools as part of its programme of fire prevention.

"We do try and educate children not to do these things," he said.

Mr Mackie said Worcestershire grass fires had increased by 20 per cent during the first 18 days of April, compared to the same time last year.

"That was in respect of the weather being dry," he said.

"I discovered that 70 or so of these had been started deliberately, especially in the Wyre Forest area."