SHOPKEEPERS in Wootton Bassett and Cricklade are cracking down on egg-throwing youths by refusing to sell them to teenagers.

The egg embargo follows a flood of complaints to police from residents and business owners that young vandals are using eggs as their latest weapon.

Insp Craig Hill, based at Wootton Bassett, said shopkeepers were refusing to sell eggs in cases were they believed they were being bought as missiles.

He said: "It may seem like a joke to the youngsters who do this, but it is one that we do not share.

"This sort of vandalism brings misery to those targeted and we will treat any incidents of egg-throwing as criminal damage."

In the past few weeks there has been a sharp increase in the number of incidents of petty crime, ranging from egg- throwing and theft to outright vandalism.

"Frankly my level of tolerance has been reached," said Insp Hill. "If we see someone breaking the law we will not hesitate to take action against them."

He said the clampdown would last until the problem had been brought under control.

"We have had to contact numerous parents and have them come to the police station to pick up their children," he said. "Most of the children come from good homes. One will tell his mum and dad he is staying at his friend's house, and the other will do the same.

"Then they spend all night causing trouble in the town.

"One parent I spoke to said they thought it could be some kind of rite of passage as the children go from primary school to secondary school.

"I want to send a clear message. We will no longer tolerate this sort of behaviour."

In recent months, egg-throwing seems to have developed into a craze among some youngsters.

Earlier this month, the Evening Advertiser reported how a Cricklade couple were leaving the town after being targeted by masked youths for five years.

In the latest attack on the home pf Michael and Jan Tanner, masked youths gathered outside their house in Reeds and pelted it with eggs and flour, leaving it looking "like an omelette".

Police said they were unable to help on the night because they were inundated with numerous calls.

The attack was the latest in a series of Halloween attacks on the couple, who say they are being targeted because Mrs Tanner, 53, used to work as a teacher at Bradon Forest School.

Mr Tanner, 50, said: "I welcome the latest move to restrict the sale of eggs, but I don't know how much it will do to solve the problem.

"I am pleased to say that, since the last attack, we have not had any more trouble.

"I have been touched by the way our neighbours have rallied round and expressed their disgust at what happened. And although the police were not able to help on the night, they have since been very good and they do seem to be serious about tackling this issue."

On the same night youths also targeted the Cricklade library and other buildings in the town.

In March, a 14-year-old Trowbridge girl suffered a damaged eye after being pelted with eggs as she walked through a park. The suffered a torn retina and is likely to have permanent visual impairment.