Ref. 30165-17A MOB of unruly school pupils is making life hell for Wroughton traders.

Those with businesses near to Ridgeway School in Wroughton, say a group of between 10 and 20 teenagers are putting their livelihoods at risk by terrorising customers with threatening behaviour.

Sian Redfern, assistant manager of The Flying Horse pub just a few yards from the school in Inverary Road said groups regularly congregated in the beer garden.

"We do not want children sitting out there in school uniform it sends out a bad message," said Miss Redfern, who runs the pub with her father Stuart.

"We don't pay a lot of money to ensure that the area is nice and clean only for them to turn up and wreck it by dropping litter all over the place.

"When we ask them to move on we get a load of verbal abuse. Some of them have mouths like sewers."

Now the situation has got so bad the management is forced to keep the side door of the pub bolted.

She said: "We have had cases recently where pupils in school uniform have entered the pub and smashed our toilets up, breaking toilet roll holders off the wall and taking light bulbs out of sockets.

"Because of this we have had to keep the door locked during breaks and home times. We shouldn't have to do that."

Miss Redfern concedes the problem has lessened slightly in the past few weeks but insists it is still there.

She said: "The school used to ignore what we were saying now at least they are beginning to listen."

One village shopkeeper, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "There's normally a group of between 10 and 20 13- to 15-year-olds hanging around at any one time.

"This is when they should be in school. There seems to be a lot of skiving going on.

"The children will hassle customers for money and give them abuse when they refuse. Something needs to be done."

Pupils are not allowed to leave the school premises at lunchtime unless they have a lunch pass. These are available only to pupils who live in Wroughton or have a relative in the village.

The Advertiser contacted Ridgeway School but nobody was available for comment.

Kevin Shoesmith