HUSBAND-AND-WIFE shopkeepers are living in fear after youths terrorised their premises and caused major damage to the shop and living quarters over a two week period.

Pat Teeling, of Lower Appleton Road, has seen a series of separate incidents spiral out of control as drunken youths targeted her shop, carrying out acts of vandalism and verbal abuse on alcohol-fuelled rampages.

Mrs Teeling and her husband, Albert, have been shopkeepers at the same premises for 20 years and have never before seen behaviour like the incidents they are currently enduring.

Mrs Teeling said: 'It's really frightening to be put through what we have been through by these thugs.

'It has been going on for a while but the worst happened last week when a brick was hurled through the window.

'They threw it with such force it went through the door directly opposite and if my husband or myself would have happened to be walking through it would have killed us.'

Mrs Teeling claims that the youths in question congregate in and around the entries that surround their building and other neighbours have been subjected to taunts after asking the youths to move on.

She said: 'Other houses have had similar abuse and things being posted through letterboxes and they are worried about the situation.'

Mrs Teeling claims that the problem stems from the entry gate remaining unlocked, as she feels that the entry is a popular place for under-age drinkers to congregate.

'I think these youths are coming into the entry to cause trouble. They are drinking and smoking drugs and then coming round to the front and causing bother. It's unpleasant and we do not feel secure in our own homes.'

'I am under the impression that the entry gate has to be open for some kind of safety reason, which I'm not happy about, but the fact is it's not safe for my family and my neighbours.'

Mrs Teeling detects that the torrent of abuse and vandalism may have come as a result of them refusing young children who are constantly trying to buy cigarettes.

She added: 'We are very strict on who we serve in the shop when in comes to teenagers buying tobacco. We have refused to serve a number of kids who come into the shop adamant that they are old enough to smoke.

'But it's quite clear to us that they are not over the required 16 legal age limit and if we have any doubts then we do not serve them.

'I have a strong feeling that these kids are then coming back to the shop later on when they are sozzled and then erupting.

'It's getting ridiculous and something has got to be done to stop them doing more damage.'