A FATHER who is fed up with nuisance youths ruining a play area in Cricklade has pleaded with civic chiefs to adopt a novel way of tackling the problem.

Father-of-three Allen Farmer urged the town council to hand over a stretch of the recreation site near Cricklade Leisure Centre to youngsters to look after.

Mr Farmer, whose home in Park Gardens backs on to the site, is sick of youths leaving the area strewn with litter and broken glass.

Two years ago, residents were horrified to discover hypodermic needles there.

Like many Cricklade residents, Mr Farmer, 40, is also fed up with the loutish and intimidating behaviour of youngsters in the town.

In April, the Advertiser reported how some residents claimed parts of Cricklade were no-go areas after dark, although this was disputed by police, who said it is one of the safest towns in Wiltshire.

Mr Farmer believes teenagers will become more responsible and mature if they are made to look after their own meeting area.

Mr Farmer, who works as a finance controller at Swindon-based technology company TSSI, told a recent meeting of the town council that his idea would tackle the root cause of the problem.

He said: "The children have broken up from school, and the problem will only get worse until it is tackled.

"How about doing something about the root of the problem the children themselves?

"Give them an area in the top right hand part of the field, near the existing graffiti wall, which will be specifically for them.

"Hopefully, they will take charge, and keep it tidy."

Council chairman Clive Wilce promised the proposal would be taken seriously.

It is to be considered by the council's community and leisure committee.

Mr Farmer, who has three children Jake, 12, Adam, 10, and Nicole, seven added: "If you give children more responsibility, more often than not they will respond.

"I want my kids to be able to go there without the fear of being offered drugs, or being beaten up or getting cut by broken glass."

But youngsters in the town said teenagers who met at the recreation site did not cause problems.

Jaycee Fulford, 16, of Waylands, Cricklade, who was meeting friends at the site, said: "I don't think anyone would look after a youth area because no one would take responsibility.

"It is the skateboarders who cause the problems, they should build a skate park for them."

His friend, Marie Bowden, 17, of Fuller's Avenue, Cricklade, said: "They are already wrecking what is here. They would just trash it and leave litter there."