POLICE have said they will be stepping up patrols in Priory Gardens, Marlborough, after elderly neighbours complained of young people drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

Resident Marian Harrop told the annual parish meeting that residents of the Sarsen sheltered flats were offended daily by the behaviour of young people.

Mrs Harrop said: "We have had a lot of trouble with their bikes all the time, skateboards and children swearing."

Reg Close, who has been at the Priory for more than four years, told the meeting: "We have underage drinking and they smoke their whacky-baccy. They sit on the lawn rolling their cigarettes."

Teenage girls, as well as boys, came into the garden with six-packs of beer and residents of the flats could hear young people swearing and see them urinating in the bushes.

Marlborough beat officer PC Doug Downing said patrols had already been stepped up in the area to counter the problem.

He advised residents to speak to Marlborough's community support officer John Bordiss who is working closely with the town's young people.

If there was any suspicion that anyone in Priory Gardens was using drugs then police should be informed immediately.

PC Downing said the town council, as owners of the gardens and the local authority, has a duty under the Crime and Disorder Act to discourage bad behaviour in the gardens.

Mayor Graham Francis said St John's School head teacher Dr Patrick Hazlewood had promised to make pupils aware of the concerns of people living near the gardens,

Former mayor David Chandler said he the amount of litter left behind in the gardens was "deplorable".

Coun Richard Allen said one of the problems was a shortage of kick- about areas in the town.

The council had a duty to look at ways of providing better facilities for all ages including teenagers.

"If you take a good look at this town the facilities for young people are just not here," said Coun Allen.