THE parents of six young thugs have been given an ultimatum - control your children or lose your home.

Police made the stark warning as they drew up Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) for the youths, aged between nine and 16, after they were found to be responsible for a string of anti-social acts on their estate.

Neighbours told how the yobs - all part of the same gang - have been carrying out a campaign of terror, intimidating locals, daubing walls with graffiti and dabbling with drugs on the Pungle estate in Westhoughton.

Supt Dave Flitcroft of Bolton Police said: "Parents have to take a key role in bringing up their children and have to take responsibility for their actions.

"We're committed to working with housing associations to make sure they are able to provide safe and pleasant places to live across the borough.

"As a partnership, we will explore every course of action available to us to make sure that they remain so."

The ABCs set out what is deemed to be acceptable behaviour. The parents of the youngsters who terrorised residents have also been ordered to attend sessions with their children and have been warned they could be evicted if the youngsters do not stick to the terms of their contract.

The tough eviction rules are being used for the first time in Bolton and are likely to be extended across the borough.

Residents who live on the Pungle estate today welcomed the police action but said the youngsters should be named and shamed.

"Everyone knows who is responsible for causing the problems on the estate but a lot of people don't want to say anything because they know they'll have they windows smashed or cars damaged," said one resident of Richard Gwyn Close, who asked not to be named.

"If their parents saw their faces in the paper, it might shame them into taking a bit more responsibility for their actions."

Another resident of Pinfold Close said: "There are kids on the estate who don't seem to have any parental influence and know they can get away with what they want.

"I would say there are probably about another 10 kids who need to be dealt with before the problem will stop."

The ABCs are the first to be handed to individuals on the estate and if broken could lead to arrest and an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).

Nearly 300 ABCs have been drawn up for people in Bolton, including more than 150 served to youngsters, in the last 12 months.