CHESHIRE'S chief constable is to meet villagers who say they are fed up with vandalism and abuse.

They blame children with 'emotional and behavioural difficulties' placed in their areas.

Borough councillors Brian Dykes (Bun-bury, Con) and Neil Ritchie (Tilston, Con) have organised the meeting for next Friday in response to months of anti-social behaviour.

They blame young people cared for by Sedgemoor College Ltd, a national company which offers specialist residential care with education to young people who have experienced family crises.

Sedgemoor's properties include Guerdon Cottage in Beeston, Briar Cottage in Bickerton and Fields Farm in Wrenbury.

The councillors have organised a dossier of evidence detailing vandalism of cars and property and threats including one to burn down a villager's home.

They have invited parish council chairmen of areas including Bunbury, Bickerton, Rushton, Beeston, Tilston and Broxton to discuss their concerns with Chief Constable Peter Fahy and Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien.

Cllr Dykes said: 'I would like to see a sub-committee set up which could work closely with our MP and our chief constable to find a loophole in the law where planning permission is not given.

'I support these youngsters very much because I think they need another chance but the problem lies with Sedgemoor's supervision. They allow them out at night and that's when the problems occur. I would be proud to have the homes if they were properly maintained and supervised and that is where they are falling down. If we can get them closed down that would help as well. That would be a bonus.'

He added: 'We have awful vandalism in Bunbury. The last three months has been beyond belief.'

In January The Chronicle reported how Bunbury villagers claimed Guerdon Cottage - where local education authorities place troubled youngsters - was out of control despite its 24-hour supervision.

Bunbury Parish Council is now asking residents who experience anti-social behaviour to fill out a form, available from parish councillors, detailing any incidents. They will then present the forms to Mr Fahy at next Friday's meeting, to be held at the Bickerton Institute, and which is by invitation only.

Bunbury parish councillor Nick Parker said: 'We have had verbal abuse of residents, we have had broken windows. We have had damage to motor cars, to gardens and garden walls. We have had threatening behaviour. I personally was threatened, that a particular youngster would burn my house down. There are other people who have been threatened.'

In Bickerton, a public meeting was held in March to discuss the proposed Sedgemoor home at Briar Cottage. The company's representative Mike Robinson told residents the home would not be in use for three months because renovations were still to be carried out.

In Alpraham, Sedgemoor wants to use a property, The Firs, to house youngsters, and has applied for a lawful use certificate from Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.

Alpraham Parish Council chairman Michael Morgan-Wynne said: 'The problem is that Sedgemoor say that their use of housing of two-four people, cared for by a number of professional carers working on a rota system, is an ordinary dwelling house and we say it isn't an ordinary dwelling house, it is a professional caring operation and they need planning permission to change the use. 'They have applied for a certificate that their use will be a lawful one based on the fact that it would be a dwelling house. They are running a business. Sedgemoor College, although it calls itself a college, is a private equity firm.'

Andy Sweeney, regional operations director for Sedgemoor College Ltd, said: 'In terms of supervision we have to meet strict regulatory standards and we comply with those. Mike Robinson went to a public meeting and I met with the MP so we have been open and above board and will continue to do so.

'The lawful use certificate is determined by the planning authority, not by us.

'The children we look after are subject to the same laws as anyone. No one is above the law and if our children do anything wrong we will report them as any adult would do.'