One mother from Warndon, who did not want to be named, told the Evening News yesterday that the nuisance had become so unbearable, her family was intending to move.

"My 11-year-old daughter is too scared to walk outside", she said. "Once, when she was with my husband in Lyppard Grange, there were about 30 youths with sticks blocking the road.

"It's scary when you think about it because you want to give your children freedom. We have a nice house here, but after 10 years we are thinking of moving because of it."

The woman said there had been an improvement since the summer so considered the dispersal order to have had a partial success.

But she added: "Let's see what happens. The kids want to look like they're powerful and goading the police."

The police say the dispersal orders have had a positive impact.

Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, Sgt Christopher Allen, said: "The orders have been extremely effective but were never intended to create permanent dispersal zones.

"The areas are always under review and, should the problems increase, the dispersal orders can always be re-introduced."

Other residents had mixed views.

n Barbara Aston, aged 82, retired, from Warndon Villages: "I can honestly say there's not too much of a problem.

"There are gangs of youths causing a general nuisance and this doesn't seem to have improved.

"The community needs to provide more things for them to do but it's the parents who aren't providing them with anything."

n Briony Gwilliam, aged 54, a secretary, of Knotts Avenue, said: "We sometimes see children hanging about up here but generally we don't see any problem at all.

"I think it is a problem because kids haven't got anywhere to go.

"There is vandalism about - tiles have been thrown off roofs.

"But there does seem to be more police about nowadays so perhaps in that respect, things are getting better."

n Emma Miles, aged 25, an expectant mother living in Cranham Drive, said: "Stuff has been thrown at windows. I live in Cranham Drive, by the Spar shop, and I have had it all.

"I called the police once because a kid was threatening to throw bricks at a window. He came one way and the police went another. There just doesn't seem much point ringing the police any more.

"The children are still out there and they are still congregating. There's regularly about 10 to 12 kids between the ages of 12 and 16. I don't think there's much we can do about it."

n Michelle Winfield, aged 31, a part-time student living in Berkeley Heywood, said: "It doesn't seem to be a problem where I live.

"It seems quite peaceful and I haven't been affected by anti-social behaviour in my area of Warndon at all."

n John Relph, aged 62, retired, living in Lyppard Grange: "The worst area seems to be down the canal path, where there are drug addicts and a lot of people drinking. We go down by the canal a lot and there are problems there.

"I heard of a mugging here last week, I suppose hearing about these things tends to make the perception worse, but, apart from that, anti-social behaviour doesn't seem too bad."