A furious resident who filmed children causing £30,000 damage in a coach yard claims tearaways are running riot in Rochford.

And he is dismayed that police have still not asked for his tape of the incident - five days after it happened.

Smash - driver Mark Everett checks a broken coach window Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

Ray Brown lives near coach firm Stephensons, on the Riverside Industrial Estate, where ten coaches and two minibus were trashed at the weekend.

The yobs used minibuses as battering rams to smash through gates and into trees.

Mr Brown said he filmed the children - who he says were no more than ten years old. He said he rang Rochford police station which twice tried to transfer him to central control but there was no answer on Sunday.

"Two hours after my first call the police turned up.

"Later I spotted the same child trying to set fire to paper on a toilet roof behind the Old Ship pub. The policing has decreased considerably around here. The kids are running riot."

Sgt Diable-White of Rayleigh Police said: "There has been no decrease in police activity. I can understand why callers will be frustrated but we only have so many operators."

Published Thursday, June 12, 2003

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