TWO of Cuddington's youth leaders have rallied to try and break the deadlock between terrified residents and abusive youngsters.

Over the past two weeks, the Guardian has told how villagers fear the rising tide of vandalism in what should be a rural idyll.

But this week, two men with different backgrounds have stood together to say "the kids need help, not hassle."

Mike Harwood, of Blake Lane, is one of only three voluntary youth workers in the village. On Monday nights, he runs a youth club on Norley Road.

He said: "These aren't bad kids. There's a core of three or four, whom I know very well, who get out of hand. But all it will take is some education for people on both sides of the fight."

Mike says shopkeepers fall too easily for the unruly kids' ploys.

"They're happy when the shopkeeper comes out and gives them an earful and says he's calling the police," he added.

"It's what they're after. It gives them an excuse to kick his door. They like the idea of saying their mum and dad got a letter from the police about them.

"Of course that's stupid. Of course it's bad. But if the shopkeepers gave them a bit of respect, spoke to them calmly, told them they're only trying to run a business, they'd get respect back."

Mike accepts that under-age drinking and smoking goes on in the village, but his policy at the youth club is very clear - try it, and get kicked out.

"There's bad language in the club, but I think bad language is more acceptable these days because parents are using it more. But I will shut them up if they do it loudly, and if I hear it on the street.

"I'll put up with them drinking or smoking outside the club, because at least I can see they're out of harm's way. I'll take them a cup of tea because the idiots are freezing. But I won't let them in."

Mike hopes to organise a "truth session", where shopkeepers and residents meet with the youngsters to find out what the problems are. A similar idea has been successful in Barnton.

He added: "The shopkeepers want security cameras, and that's not the answer. It makes me laugh - and cry - when I hear people will spend £30,000 on that, but not £3,000 on a skate ramp to keep them out of trouble."

Another man who believes help is at hand is Sandiway's Full Gospel pastor, Graeme Milne. He runs a popular drop-in centre for youngsters on Tuesday nights at his School Lane church.

"We don't preach at them, we listen," said Graeme.

"They just want to talk about what affects them, and we will happily respect that. That's all they're after - sometimes, not even that. It's not a big clampdown that they need," he added.

And Mike added: "We were like them once. And give the main troublemakers a year or so and they'll be in the pubs and at college - getting like us. We can stop the next lot from being stupid. But it will take effort on both sides, rather than just hoping we can police them forever."

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