ANGRY residents are demanding police action to kerb anti-social behaviour in their street after a father was attacked by a youth who was damaging his property. Paul Skinner was punched in the face outside his home in Little Whyte, Ramsey, on Friday eveni

ANGRY residents are demanding police action to kerb anti-social behaviour in their street after a father was attacked by a youth who was damaging his property.

Paul Skinner was punched in the face outside his home in Little Whyte, Ramsey, on Friday evening after he confronted a teenager that was jumping on his van.

The violent assault left the 26-year-old father of two with a cut to his chin.

His wife, Kerry, who witnessed the attack from the house while on the phone to police, said: "Paul just asked the lad to get off the van and said the police were on their way.

"A group of youths then surrounded him and one of them punched him. I thought they were just kids causing trouble, I never expected them to hit Paul."

The attack is the latest in a spate of violent behaviour that residents claim has been plaguing the Little Whyte area of the town on Friday and Saturday nights.

They say they live in fear at weekends when groups of up to 20 drink-fuelled teenagers and young adults leave nearby pubs and descend on the street, vandalising vehicles and properties.

Mrs Skinner, 34, said: "On Friday evenings you see youths running up and down the street knocking on doors and windows, throwing wheelie bins into the road and shouting abuse. This is an ongoing problem."

The couple, who moved to Little Whyte in May, say the violence has got "progressively worse".

Fellow resident, Ian Curtis, has taken drastic measures to protect his car and property from the vandals by constructing a 6ft-high fence around his front garden.

But he says this has not deterred the youths who throw bottles and glasses over the fence, causing damage to his property.

The 56-year-old, who is a full-time carer to his disabled wife, said: "We are just at our wits end and do not know what to do. Someone has got to do something because we will not be driven from our homes."

Residents are so fed up with the unruly youths that they have launched a campaign to get the licensing hours at a nearby pub changed and police patrols increased.

They are being supported by Cllr Peter Reeve, county and district councillor for Ramsey.

Cllr Reeve said: "Ramsey is, most of the time, a wonderful and tranquil market town. However, a culture of violence is becoming the norm every Friday and some Saturday evenings around the Little Whyte area."

Inspector Terri Griffin sector inspector for Ramsey said: "This is something we have been dealing with and will continue to deal with. I do understand the concerns of local residents, and neighbourhood officers have been focusing their attention on dealing with anti social behaviour in that area of Ramsey.

"Door to door surveys are being carried out to find out resident's experiences of alcohol related ASB in the area to see if we need a review of license conditions."

INFORMATION: Anyone with information or evidence on ASB in the Little Whyte area of Ramsey is asked to contact PC Alison Hillier at Ramsey police station on 0345 4564564.