Ambush by park yobs

Yobs are ambushing parents and their young children at a Stourbridge park and pelting them with stones and bottles.

Youths are hiding behind an embankment surrounding the open playspot in Brompton Drive, near to the Lakeside estate, Amblecote, before jumping out on unsuspecting residents and hurling missiles at them.

Now bosses at Dudley Council are looking at ways of dealing with the problem amid growing fears someone could be seriously hurt at the park which is mostly used by youngsters and the elderly.

One option under discussion is to flatten parts of the embankment being used as hiding places.

But officers have also discovered that the embankment was originally created as a sound barrier between the park and nearby homes - and will require consultation with residents before any action is taken.

They are now set to launch the consultation and will await the views of people living near to the park before making a decision on the site.

Councillor Pat Martin, who has taken up the fight on behalf of concerned residents, said that officers had been working on the problem since it was first reported.

"It has been very upsetting for people who use the open space as some are now worried about going there with youngsters," she said.

"The idea is to remove the parts of the embankment being used as hiding places but rebuild them elsewhere so they may even be able to form a BMX track for park users.

"The aim of the rebuilding will be remove them from the parts of the park where they can be used as a hiding place for these ambushes."

Councillor Martin said it was vital residents were given their say before any action took place.

"We do not want to create problems for people living nearby though these measures and all possible views will be considered."

By Lee Watton