AN MP has vowed to step in after a heated residents meeting heard mob rule is turning a village into a war zone.
About 70 residents complained their community is being overrun by yobs creating havoc, drinking, taking drugs, street-fighting and committing burglary and criminal damage.
Local families, Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, Peterlee Police officers and loc
al landlords all attended the meeting to discus problems in the Station Road and St Aidan's Road area of Trimdon Station.
The highly-charged two-hour meeting followed what locals described as months of anti-social behaviour in their community that came to a head last weekend when a man was chased by a gang with metal bars in a street disturbance.
Police said there had been a party at a house in Station Road that spilled into the street where there was a fracas. One teenager has been arrested on suspicion of public order offences and bailed pending further inquiries.
Angry residents gathered at Trimdon Station Community Centre, Station Road, where they said their community is like living in a war zone.
One resident claimed it is a matter of time before someone is killed, while a female householder said: "There is a mob rule in this village where good people daren't step outside their houses. Three months ago I was threatened in my own home."
Residents complained that yobs from outside the village are causing trouble while visiting privately rented properties in their community.
Five local residents and two local landlords have now agreed to form a neighbourhood watch group to take a stand to help find a solution.
Mr Wilson urged people to attend public Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings to report incidents and said he is taking on the case.
He said he will speak to police on the possibility of giving residents anti-social behaviour diaries that can be used to record incidents and he will look into the possibility of creating a selective licensing agreement for rented properties where there is a contract between the local landlords, the police and the local community to ensure high standards on how properties are kept.
He vowed to take up the matter at a meeting of all County Durham MPs on September 21 and he will take it up on his return to Parliament.
Mr Wilson told the residents: "We will only solve this if we work together."
Police say they are now developing Operation Ronda 2009 to tackle the issues in the area by working with Durham County Council, local residents, landlords and other agencies.
Sergeant Steve Hawkes, of Peterlee Police, said: "We are taking these concerns seriously and will respond to their needs to reduce the number of complaints of anti-social behaviour.
"We will be involving the whole community and when we have identified what will be done we will be holding another meeting.
"We urge anyone to ring us if they experience any problems or have any information."
People can contact police on 0345 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
