CHIPPING Campden youth worker Alyson Jessopp has appealed for a shelter to be installed to get youngsters off the streets.

Alyson, who runs the Centre 65 youth centre made the request at last week's town council meeting, following months of work with youngsters who prefer to hang out in the High Street rather than go to Centre 65.

She said: "They are a fairly difficult group to deal with but we have been building relationships with them. We would like to see some kind of shelter put up in place of the old Brodie shelter which has been demolished."

Coun John Ellis asked whether any facility developed for the older teenagers within the town's former police station would be welcomed.

Alyson said: "I don't think it would be used either. We have been told if it didn't have alcohol they wouldn't be interested. They are a group which will never go into a building. They prefer being on the street and all we can do is carry on having contact with them on a regular basis.

"A simple shelter would just give them somewhere out of the weather to congregate which may also get them out of the High Street."

Sgt Mike Bundy said the police were aware that people living in High Street felt intimidated by large gangs of youths there and had provided extra patrols.

He added: "The gathering of 20 people in a group is perceived to be threatening and I do understand that but there is nothing we can do to stop them as they are not breaking any laws."

He welcomed the idea of a shelter for the youngsters and also an initiative by the Red Lion pub which provides an upstairs room for young people where they can play pool, pinball and get soft drinks.

Councillors are to debate the provision of a shelter at a future meeting.