UP to 200 people attended a public meeting arranged in response to problems caused by youngsters running riot on a Kidderminster estate.

Police and district councillors were among people at the meeting, held at Franche Community Centre, to discuss the issues blighting the area.

It was hailed as a success by ward councillor Howard Martin, who chaired it. "It was tremendous," he said, adding that he thought there were between 150 and 200 people - mainly residents - packed into the hall last Wednesday.

"There was a very interesting exchange of views.

"The outcome was that it was agreed that the community would work with the police and councillors to form a community group to look at the possibility of some sort of action to prevent the problems happening on the estate."

Councillor Martin said 30 people attending the initial meeting had volunteered to be part of the proposed group and would have a follow-up get-together.

"At the end of the day, it was a very worthwhile meeting," he said. "Everybody has got specific issues that bother them. Individual instances that we didn't know about were highlighted."

Among the sorts of problems making Franche residents' lives a misery are intimidation by groups of youths and vandalism of cars.

Police have carried out "high visibility" patrols, using mobile CCTV, to try to deter the troublemakers.

Many of those attending the public meeting were from Chestnut Grove and Wilton Avenue, as well as others from nearby Ferndale.

Mr Martin urged anyone with concerns about disruptive behaviour by youths to contact the police or district councillors for the area.

He added the initiative to address the problems would also try and involve local schools and churches.