A RAMPAGING gang of youths stormed a community fun day last week, terrifying toddlers, smashing up stalls and hurling abuse at volunteers.

Police were called to the fracas that broke out last Sunday at the Sutton Trust fun day held at Ludlow Court, Padgate, but when they arrived most of the youths had moved on.

The event, the first of its kind, was organised by the Padgate Sutton Trust Residents' Association to benefit members of the community. Relevant agencies like Disability Awareness and the Citizens' Advice Bureau had been invited along to provide advice and information for residents.

Children played happily in the sunshine on a bouncy castle and enjoyed the host of activities laid on by the group of 10 volunteers.

But halfway through the day, a group of around 15 youths disrupted the fun and games and began destroying and stealing from stalls, smashing up displays and barricading roads to prevent people leaving.

They then invaded the bouncy castle, ripping it open while terrified tots looked on in tears and ran screaming to their parents.

Tony Jones, chairman of the association and one of the volunteers who helped to organise the event, said: "The weather was beautiful, the turnout was great, everybody was enjoying themselves and then all of a sudden this gang turned up.

"We managed to get most of the agencies we'd invited along off the field because we knew things were going to blow up pretty soon.

"Once they'd gone there was a near riot.

"The youths went mad tearing around, smashing things up and shouting very personal insults at the volunteers.

"These people had given up their time for the community and this is how they were repaying us."

At a meeting of the residents' association held the following evening, all 12 committee members resigned in disgust and disbelief at the weekend's events.

Wendy Pretten, area manager of the William Sutton Trust, said: "William Sutton Trust is concerned that there was a disturbance at the open day organised by the Padgate Tenant's Association.

"We are fully investigating the incident and will be interviewing the youths involved with their parents.

"William Sutton Trust has very clear policies in dealing with any anti-social behavior on our estates."