COMPLAINTS about lack of policing in Upton-upon-Severn have been met head on by a senior officer.

Insp Neville Sheldrick invited critics to spend a day with the town's beat manager, PC Mark Taylor, or join officers on a Friday or Saturday night to see how the town is policed.

Residents might be irritated by rowdy youngsters gathering at weekends in the New Street playground, but police could not arrest them or move them on, he said.

"It sounds like complete disorder when 20 or 30 youths are making a lot of noise at midnight, but they are not committing offences," he said at the town's annual meeting this week.

"We hear that they are in the children's playground putting a tarpaulin over the climbing frame and that tells us that they need somewhere to meet in the dry.

"The underlying message is that this is a safe community, with low crime," he said.

Some of those present pointed out noise was not the only complaint against the youths.

They were responsible for obscene graffiti and vandalism, especially in the children's playground and around Upton Sports Club.

There was also a worry about drug taking in the playground, where the council's caretaker had picked up 17 hypodermic needles one morning, said district councillor Mary Wilkinson.

"We need to know that, because it's vital evidence. We have DNA testing to find out who has been using them," said Insp Sheldrick.

Youths were unlikely to commit vandalism or write graffiti in the presence of police and would simply go somewhere else if police were in the playground 24 hours a day, he said.

"We are not asking for officers 24 hours a day, but an occasional police presence. We are paying 14.8 per cent of our council tax to the police and we expect to see some policing for that kind of money," said Mrs Wilkinson.

Insp Sheldrick said 20 incidents of disorder had been reported in Upton in the three months to March 31 this year and 40,000 in the whole Worcester division in the last year.

"We have finite resources and we must prioritise our forces on motor vehicle crime, house burglary and violent crime. If that's not happening, we are not targeting," he said.

"We are not complacent. We have to put in place some activities to reduce anti-social behaviour."

This would include a meeting next month between police, community safety officers and Upton residents to find out what young people want, he said.