POLICE must act quickly to stamp out teenage crime before the people of Warndon Villages take the law into their own hands, a resident has warned.

Almost 100 residents have voiced their concerns about teenagers vandalising the estate and being abusive.

"Yobs are yobs and either the police have to act or people will round here will, and we don't want that," resident Keith Edgell, of Home Meadow, told police at Warndon Parish Council's annual open meeting.

His warning came soon after Chief Supt Sharon Gibbons said the community had to work with police to stamp out crime.

"Enforcement is one method but we also have to look at the reasons why this is happening," she said.

But news that more officers were being trained and recruited in the South Worcestershire division also fell on deaf ears.

She was told of residents who had been victim of verbal abuse, pellet guns fired at their windows, vandalism and graffiti.

Some residents argued that no amount of talking would stop the hardcore troublemakers.

Residents were also concerned they were given a low priority when they called police, who either took a long time to respond or did not arrive at all.

Chief Supt Gibbons said she would love to have a force where officers could be dispatched to all problems immediately, but this was not possible.

"The reality is we have to prioritise," she told last night's meeting.

"These are often very difficult decisions to make and we don't enjoy having to make them."

She added there was "no grand plan" for how the 29 newly-trained officers would be deployed throughout South Worcestershire in the coming months.

Parish council member Frank Lauriello's call for more police officers on the beat was greeted with a round of applause from residents.

"This would be a very nice place to live, but we're on the edge of something," said Jenny Morecroft, of Harley Warren. "Worcester's lovely, at the moment. But I think we have to be careful. Something has to be done quickly."