School leaver parties, inhaling laughing gas and shooting at power cables: Police issue anti-social behaviour warning

Officials for the Hartlepool Community Safety Team, which comprises staff from Cleveland Police, Hartlepool Borough Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade have issued a plea to parents to know where their children are.

It comes after reports of young people drinking, setting fires and shooting at electricity power cables with an air rifle while camping out at Summerhill Country Park.

A number of suspected school leaver parties are also said to have taken place at the 100-acre site, with one resulting in enough rubbish to fill seven bin bags being left behind including canisters of nitrous oxide also known as “hippy crack”, “NOS” or “nozzys".

Chief Inspector Peter Graham from the Hartlepool Community Safety Team said: “We want to send out a clear message that we are not prepared to tolerate this situation.

“Young people found to be causing problems will be spoken to initially and warned about their behaviour.

"However, if their behaviour does not improve then formal enforcement action will follow, including the use of Acceptable Behaviour Agreements – the terms of which can exclude a young person from a particular area of the town – and, ultimately, prosecution.

“We would ask parents to support us by making sure they know where their children are and what they are doing.”

Other recent anti-social behaviour includes hand gel dispensers vandalised within hours of toilets reopening in Rossmere Park and Ward Jackson Park and a fire in a hand basin in Rossmere Park.

Newly-erected tennis court nets at Seaton Park have also suffered from young people sitting on them.

Between June 1 and 28 Cleveland Fire Brigade responded to 36 deliberate fires.

Darren Lane, the brigade’s Community Liaison Officer, added: “Hartlepool has lots of beautiful outdoor spaces for everyone and we want to keep it that way.”

Anyone with information about deliberate fires and anti-social behaviour can call Cleveland Police on 101, email [email protected] or phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The brigade’s Fire Education Team can also be contacted at [email protected] if you think your child has an issue.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.

Thank you.