Village 'at mercy' of gangs

A small village near Stourbridge is being "short changed" by police who are leaving the village at the mercy of gangs of yobs, residents claim.

People living in Kinver say there is a lack of police walking the beat leaving troublemakers to roam the streets and intimidate people.

Anger is now growing in the village following reports a man and a woman were attacked over the weekend in the High Street.

Despite a 999 call it is claimed no police turned out to the incident on Friday September 14.

Neighbourhood Watch coordinator Bob Clarke said it was not the first time the village had been left stranded with no police on duty.

He said: "Kinver is being short changed by the police. I am tired of getting the same old spin from South Staffordshire Police and I know a lot of other people feel the same.

"We have one police officer for the village, but he cannot be on duty 24 seven, other than that we have no police presence and enough is enough."

Mr Clarke said he was now intending to write to his MP about the situation which he said was becoming desperate.

He added: "This is not the first time a 999 call had not a response, this part of Staffordshire is just being ignored.

"We need police to be walking the streets not just driving through a couple of times in a car when they are not going to see anything that is going on."

Another resident in the village said: "We have seen groups of up to 20 gathering in the High Street using foul language and drinking. I have phoned police and no one has turned up at all. I wouldn't want my name in the paper though because my windows would be put through."

Inspector Pat Shannaghan, commander of Wombourne Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU), confirmed their had been an incident and officers were now scouring CCTV for footage to catch out the yobs.

He said: "Officers within the NPU received a number of reports on Friday night of anti-social behaviour within the High Street area as well as one report of an assault where minor injures were sustained.

"Enquiries are in hand and investigating officers are currently working with the injured party. "