Residents 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, says he recently installed a 6ft metal security gate at the bottom of his garden, to replace a wooden one that was ripped down. He compared the noise from the park to "Chinese water torture" and said he and fellow neighbours would fight to see it removed.

"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.

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 hard-earned 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.

"It must be done in consultation with all users, not just the people who shout the loudest," she said.

Complaints about the skatepark began in July 2000, before building work was even finished, when it was alleged that it was a "magnet" for young people and a cause of noise and litter. Since then, there has been a stream of complaints, with regular calls from residents for the skatepark to be removed.

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

"A town foot patrol officer, PC Mark Price, regularly patrols in the park. We're currently raising awareness of the by-laws and intend to follow this up with a campaign of enforcement."