Residents are living in fear because of youths riding on noisy dirt bikes and vandals smashing property.

The residents in the Lee Wick Lane and Beach Road area of St Osyth say the problem has been getting worse over the past few months.

Last week, there were a number of problems which ended with arsonists burning down a holiday home at the weekend and badly damaging another.

One resident said: "It kicks off about 3pm or 3.30pm. They roar up the road. We have been imprisoned here. It's really getting bad."

The woman, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said yobs came through her property and threatened her dogs.

She also said an elderly man was threatened by the bikers when he approached them because he was fed up with it.

Vandals are also causing problems for the residents.

Police were called because vandals had trashed an environmental agency compound in Lee Wick Lane, St Osyth.

Thousands of pounds of damage was caused to hydraulic pipes and machinery.

The following day, the sewage works, which is nearby, was broken into and trashed as well.

But the resident said nothing was being done by the police about the dirt bikers.

Insp Andy Hooke, of Clacton police, said: "We take such incidents extremely seriously and shall be increasing police patrols in the area to address this."

Anyone with information should call Clacton police on 01255 221312.

Published Thursday, June 19, 2003

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