BORED Worcester youngsters are running riot and terrorising elderly neighbours by lobbing missiles at their homes.

People living in the Merrimans Hill area claim the gang of boys - some as young as nine - are causing chaos because there is nothing else for them to do.

They say the youngsters steal fruit from nearby allotments to hurl at houses.

Allotment representative Reg Turner said growers were tired of finding produce strewn across the site.

"It's definitely getting worse," he said. "We're fed up. It makes us sick. We have signs up at the allotment saying police regularly patrol the area - but I've never seen an officer.

"We need something done around here, because there's vandalism taking place quite a lot now."

One woman, who did not want to be named, said she had called police after one incident this week.

"There were six or seven boys being chased by someone in Lansdowne Crescent," she said. "He said they'd been throwing apples at his home. He challenged them and chased them."

The woman said the gang ran through Merrimans Walk and Merrimans Hill and into the allotments.

"Police told me it's becoming a public nuisance," she added. "They've got nowhere else to play, there's nothing for teenagers to do round here. They're nicely-dressed children, but do their parents know where they are at night?

"One elderly man chased them after they threw things at his house. His wife's concerned about what could happen to him."

Ward councillor David Bannister said it was of "great concern".

"There's a tight-knit community living there and they've come up with some excellent ideas, which I'll talk to the police about," he said. "We need to react as soon as possible."

Beat manager PC Nick Stinton said he was aware summer holidays could lead to "disruptive behaviour" by youngsters.

"I specifically visited the allotments last Thursday," he said. "I was told there hadn't been any real problems lately. But, if residents are encountering intimidating behaviour or vandalism, it's vital they let me know."