THREE youths were arrested and a man was recovering in hospital after a weekend party spiralled out of control on a Winsford housing estate.

Residents living on the Grange Estate say the weekend's incident was the worst case of anti-social behaviour they have ever seen.

They claim gangs of between 20 and 30 youths were rampaging through the estate on Saturday night.

A police spokesman admitted: 'There was a fight after a party, as a result of which three young men were arrested.

'We got a report of a large scale fight between 20 youths. When we arrived it was four or five people.

'There is a suggestion that a weapon was used.

'One person is in hospital with head injuries. He is under observation but his injuries are not life threatening.'

Grange Residents' Association chairman Mike Kennedy said the incident highlights the anti-social behaviour problems families are forced to live with.

He said Grange residents live in constant fear of violent crime and is calling on police to step up patrols in the area.

'I have never seen anything like it,' he said.

'About 20 or 30 youths were running through the estate, fighting.

'Residents who have lived here all their lives have told me it was the worst case of anti-social behaviour they have ever seen.

'From our point of view, we as residents have been concerned for some time.

'An incident like this goes to show that the biggest problem we have is the fear of violent crime.

'We talk to residents to ask what they would like on the agenda for our meetings and all people are concerned about is fear from crime and anti-social behaviour.

'We have a lot of elderly people living in warden-controlled flats and they live in fear of being broken into.

'People don't feel safe walking the streets at night.

'It has got so that people are scared to speak out about it for fear of retribution.

'What we would like is more police on the streets and we have been talking to members of the police CAT (Community Action Team) and we will carry on working with them.'