A HOUSEBOUND pensioner says she has been "worn down" by children who have subjected her to a string of cruel taunts. The 70-year-old woman was so fed-up of the stream of school children harassing her at her Sharples home, that she even had a close circuit TV camera installed. The head of the local high school was so concerned to hear about the woman's torment, he has carried out surveillance sessions outside her home to try to find out who is responsible.

The pensioner says her attempts to record the culprits on the security camera failed because youngsters began vandalising it - and sticking chewing gum on the lens.

The pensioner, who asked not to be named, claims the youths have been plaguing her for more than four years. She wrote a letter to the BEN pleading for help.

In it, she said she had contacted the nearby Sharples School in her attempt to stop the problem.

Head teacher Bob Atkinson says he has watched discreetly near the pensioner's house.

Mr Atkinson said: "It must be very distressing and we have a policy at the school to respond in person to a complaint from anyone in the community.

"It must be awful for anyone living close to a school. We have received complaints from this lady in the past and we have even sat outside her door in our dinner hour.

"We will be going back to re-visit her and take whatever action is necessary to find the children responsible."

The pensioner, who is severely disabled, says the youngsters constantly hammer and bang on her front door.

She said: "They leap up at the camera and try to pull it down. They bash it with their bags and stick spearmint all over it, and then some of them, girls as well, bang on my windows and doors.

"It's the continual harassment that wears you down, but who can you turn to? Nobody cares."

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