FAMILIIES living in a Great Yarmouth street claim their lives are being made a misery by yobs.York Road residents say the unruly teenagers who gather in groups at night are turning the area into a “ghetto” environment.

FAMILIIES living in a Great Yarmouth street claim their lives are being made a misery by yobs.

York Road residents say the unruly teenagers who gather in groups at night are turning the area into a “ghetto” environment.

One couple, who did not wish to be named, described how people were living in fear.

Speaking to the Mercury this week, they told how the problem had escalated into:

Vandalism.

Under-age drinking.

Drug-taking.

The husband and wife have lived in the previously quiet street close to the town centre and seafront for more than 15 years.

However, in the past 18 months the atmosphere had changed, with increasing incidents of anti-social behaviour and petty crime.

The man said: “We would be targeted if our identities were revealed but wanted to highlight the problem, which has spiralled out of control.

“No one will park cars down the road because owners fear they will get vandalised, and taxi drivers refuse to come down here.

“Groups of youths regularly congregate in alleyways at night making noise, taking drugs, drinking and even having sex. People are scared of confronting them: they are very aggressive. And the older ones often turn up with dogs. We have complained to the police countless times and have been told that something would be done, but the problem just gets worse.

“Officers will come out if they are not busy, but it might be a couple of hours after we called.”

His wife added: “House prices have suffered as a result of the problems, with values 50pc below similar houses just half a mile away.

“Only housing associations seem interested in buying places along here. It is creating a ghetto, which is making the problem worse.

“We have put up with this for too long and are starting to despair that anything will be done.”

No one from the police was available for comment as the Mercury went to press.