FAMILIES who say rowdy youths are blighting their lives are considering taking legal action to have a Malvern skatepark removed.

Those with gardens backing on to Victoria Park claim noise, bad language and other anti-social behaviour has become intolerable.

They were alerted to the possibility of legal action after a local authority in Devizes, Wiltshire, was forced to remove a skatepark and pay £50,000 costs.

Martin Cale of Spring Lane, said he recently installed a 6ft metal security gate at the bottom of his garden, to replace a wooden one that was ripped down.

"It's made our lives a misery," he said, "We don't want it there."

Mr Cale said the problems started when grass tennis courts were replaced with a hard-surface play area and skatepark two years ago. Gangs of youths then started to congregate.

Fear of reprisals

One of his neighbours, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, said the problem had become so bad people were being forced to move away.

"They park on the grass and rev their engines," she said. "If there's not loud music playing, there's foul language, shouting and screaming. Last night was the first time I've had any sleep for a week because it was quieter out there. There's drug abuse, alcohol abuse. You name it, we've got it.

"Legal action may be the only option left to us, although it seems awful that we've got to spend our money to do it."

Town clerk Shirley Young said the council's environment and leisure committee, which meets on July 15, will look at improvements to the park, which could include a fence to separate it from the residents' gardens.

Sgt Bob Werner-De-Sondberg said police were aware of the problems associated with Victoria Park and were working with the council and other agencies to resolve them.