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Anti-social behaviour at a popular Isle of Wight park has led to intervention from a local councillor and police.
Nightime patrols are being stepped up at Los Altos Park, Sandown following complaints.
Ian Ward, Isle of Wight councillor for Sandown South, contacted Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary yesterday (Thursday).
A resident said a groups of young people were “shouting and screaming”, “lighting bonfires” and “keeping her awake” until the early hours of the morning.
Ward: It’s easy to say we need more youth facilities
Councillor Ward said the woman who contacted him had previously reported anti-social behaviour around a month ago, which officers had also responded to.
The former chairman of the Isle of Wight Council said he did not know what the cause of the anti-social behaviour was, but thought school holidays may have been a contributing factor.
He said,
“It’s easy to say we need more youth facilities and all the rest of it – but that’s a forever answer isn’t it.
“I would obviously like to see more policing but I’ve got to say our local police are doing more policing so I don’t want to criticise them to say oh they should be doing more policing because they already are, and that’s besides this incident.
“They have already stepped up policing around the Bay Area – of course we’d all like more – you’d never say no would you.”
Another Sandown resident also raised concerns about anti-social behaviour involving alcohol on the seafront.
Councillor Ward added he had alerted the “relevant multi-agency” and thought the police do “the best they can” with “the resources they have”.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been approached for comment.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
