SWNS

Shocking footage shows how residents are being terrorised in their homes by a 21-strong gang of teenage yobs who have descended on a picturesque spa town. The large group of "feral" youths have been causing havoc across the sleepy Worcestershire town of Malvern Link for the past several months. Locals say they are being tormented by the group, estimated to be aged between 12-16, who are threatening people with knives and throwing stones at houses. Others say they have caught them urinating in neighbouring gardens, stealing and setting fires through people's letterboxes. Parents have said they are too scared to let their kids play out after one boy was beaten up while elderly residents have been left "prisoners in their own homes". One couple living on Cedar Avenue, where house prices average around 320,000, caught the hooded youths on their Ring doorbell camera last week. Footage shows the intimidating gang swarming their driveway before they went into the garden and stole their son's 1,000 bag and 300 bike from their cabin. Clia McCullough, 47, who lives with partner Neil Topping, 49, said they rushed home after watching the theft unfold last Saturday (29/4). Mum-of-two Celia later uploaded the footage to social media in a bid to raise awareness and catch those responsible - but was told by police to take it down. She said: "We saw the group on the footage and we were able to count 21 people that were involved looking at my camera and my neighbours. "It was scary seeing them all at the end of our driveway. "They rushed into our garden and stole my son's bag from our cabin. They also stole an expensive bike as well. "We were driving back home after we found out but we were told by a neighbour that they had already left and had made their way to Malvern Link station. "We heard that they were also throwing stones at homes and urinating on properties as well. "Since uploading it to social media I have been told countless other stories from people who have been terrorised by these same kids. "One said they were too scared to let their children play out after a boy was beaten up by them. They have threatened another with a knife. "I've been told they put things on fire through someone's postbox. It's just awful. This is a nice quiet area with a lot of elderly residents. "This isn't a big city where you might sort of expect this thing, although it's unacceptable anywhere, we moved here because it was beautiful and quiet. "They need to be stopped but when I uploaded the footage I was told by police to take it down because an investigation was ongoing. "But we haven't seen them do anything to stop them. We understand they come from Worcester by train to purposely target our little town. "Surely something could be done at either train station to stop them coming here. They have been causing havoc for months and nobody seems to want to act. "I want to make the people of Malvern Link aware of this because things are getting worse here. "We live on such a quiet road and things like this do not normally happen. "We have had so many people on social media telling us of similar incidents involving this group. "They are terrorising people and people are scared. It needs to stop." Miss McCullough, who did not wish to give her occupation, said that the attitudes of the youths towards the police were "awful". She said: "We were on the phone with the police the whole time on the way to the station and they were fantastic when they arrived. "The attitudes of these youths were awful, even when the police were dealing with them. They don't seem to care." Another elderly resident, who did not wish to be named, added: "We've been too scared to go out because these feral thugs have been running riot. "They just don't seem to care about anything other than being hellbent on causing trouble. We've become prisoners in our own homes." Residents say the group was the same that had previously been banned from Malvern Link Station by police at the weekend. Eight officers issued five dispersal notices to some of the teenagers, meaning they could not visit the train station for up to 48 hours. A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "Officers in Malvern have issued five dispersal notices for this weekend following reports of youths in the area of Malvern Link on the evening of Saturday, April 29 engaging in Anti-Social Behaviour. "The dispersal order has been imposed under Section 34 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. "Dispersal orders make it an offence for anyone to return to a specific area for up to 48 hours."

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