TEARAWAYS targeting a Worcester community centre need more "vigorous" activities to keep them in check, according to a great-grandmother.

Tony Baxter said youths aged 15 and 16 had smashed tiles on the roof of Ronkswood Community Centre, and yanked down parts of a fence next to a mural.

The 79-year-old said, once the fence was pulled down, teenagers uprooted fruit in an elderly man's back garden and trampled over his flower beds.

Mrs Baxter, who has lived in Ronkswood for more than 52 years, said she wanted to see more challenging activities available to youngsters before the problem of vandalism grew worse.

"Youngsters and people from Worcester Arts Workshop painted the mural on the fence outside the community centre around two years ago and, up until now, we were thrilled because the fence hadn't been vandalised," she said.

"But some of the fence panels next to the mural were pulled down a few weeks ago.

"You come to the community centre in the morning and it's like a tip. They get rubbish bins and tip them over."

Mrs Baxter, who has 10 great-grandchildren, 10 grandchildren and four children, said youngsters had burnt a mediaeval hedge and painted a tree with white paint at the back of Newtown Green behind the community centre.

Mrs Baxter, who is chairman of Friends of Ronkswood Fields (Newtown Green) said youngsters recently burnt out a car in front of the centre.

"Youngsters need more vigorous activities. They should play games like football, not to win but just for fun," said Mrs Baxter, of Carlisle Road, Ronkswood.

"Kids that vandalise don't get good enough exam results and are made to feel worthless.

"The emphasis should be on creativity and physical activity for them."

Ann Nicholls, community development worker and centre manager at Ronkswood Community Centre, said there were events taking place at the centre nearly every night, including youth groups, kung fu and tae kwon do, and it was in the middle of setting up its own football team.

"We cannot stop youngsters hanging around but we can encourage them in activities as much as possible," she said.

"We need one volunteer to 10 youngsters and we desperately need more volunteers."

Anyone wishing to help out should contact Mrs Nicholls on 01905 359578.