RESIDENTS are being forced to move out of their homes because teenage anti-social behaviour is turning their streets into "no-go" zones in Ramsbottom and Tottington.

That was one of the claims when the issue of problem youths dominated Tuesday night's Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Area Board.

Many residents said small groups of teenagers were threatening their own children and some streets were not safe after dark.

One resident said her daughter was hysterical after being chased home by a gang of girls hanging outside Christ Church Primary School in Walshaw. A Ramsbottom resident, who asked not to be named, said the problem was so bad in Dundee Lane many people had been forced to move.

"We've had enough and are not putting up with it any longer. We are moving along with a number of others. Ramsbottom is not safe any longer, certainly not for children."

But Dawn Cretney, youth service manager for the area, told the board that work was being done to provide activities for teenagers at the youth centres and the youth service are visiting schools.

Tottington councillors Ian Gartside and Yvonne Wright presented the board with the results of a survey carried out at Tottington High School when more than 960 pupils were asked what they wanted to do after school.

The survey gave three options: have somewhere to go and socialise with friends; organised activities in a facility such as the Tottington Youth Centre based in the village library; or not wanting anything organised.

Out of the 499 pupils who responded, more than 330 said they wanted to use the youth centre in some way with 68 per cent wanting somewhere to go and be with their friends and 15 per cent wanting structured activities. Another 16 per cent ticked both boxes wanting somewhere to go with activities as an option. Councillor Gartside told the meeting, held at Rowlands Methodist Church in Summerseat: "There are young people out there who are not bad and just want somewhere to go and chill out with their friends."

Sergeant Paul Tresnan, from Ramsbottom Police, spoke about an option of bringing in dispersal orders which could see large groups of people broken up to stop residents feeling frightened walking out in their streets.

Councillor Dorothy Gunther, chairman of the board, said anti-social behaviour had been a problem in Ramsbottom and Tottington since the area board first began.