Emergency talks are under way between police, Bexley Council and the borough's community safety partnership about the eruption of violence by young people in some of the borough's streets. LINDA PIPER reports.

ONE Belvedere resident says trouble has been brewing in the area for weeks, before it erupted into violence near Belvedere station at around 8pm on September 1.

Between 50 and 150 youngsters ran riot, some allegedly wearing balaclavas and wielding baseball bats.

Large numbers of police were drafted into the area including officers from Greenwich and Lewisham and three Territorial Support Group carriers as well as a police helicopter.

A Section 60 order, which allows police to stop and search anyone in the area, was issued.

But police say they had no reports of assaults or criminal damage. No weapons were recovered and no arrests were made.

The resident, who refused to give her name for fear of reprisals, says trouble began six weeks ago with up to 40 young people in Victoria Street, Belvedere.

Police were called but nothing was done. She said three days later in Albert Road there was a running battle with youths fighting in between the traffic and says she saw two members of the public assaulted.

She said: "I was scared they were going to drag me out of my car. The police came, but as soon as the kids heard the sirens, they scattered."

She says people have been forced to shelter in local shops.

A shop security guard, who was assaulted by a group of teenagers near Albert Park, returned armed with a pole and was cautioned by police.

Parents must play their part

BEXLEY councillor Katie Perrior, who has taken on the council cabinet brief for community affairs, visited Belvedere to walk the area with the neighbourhood policing team.

She said: "I don't deny there are problems. I have emailed borough commander Chief Superintendent Robin Merrett to ask for an emergency meeting.

"I am not happy with where we are going."

She said she was not convinced dispersal zones were the answer because, with free travel, text messaging and the internet, teenagers could just move from one place to another.

She added while some parents of wayward children are horrified by their behaviour and deal with it, others do not.

Cllr Perrior said: "Parents have to take responsibility for the next generation to ensure we turn out children who make Bexley a great place to live."

A meeting is due to take place this week and police were out in force in Belvedere over the weekend with a mobile CCTV van.

It is hoped permanent CCTV can be installed in places where youths congregate, by the end of the month.

Bexley police say they are also liaising with Greenwich officers to try and resolve the disorder problems in Abbey Wood.

Brave to go to Abbey Wood at night

TROUBLE has also erupted in Abbey Wood, with drunken youngsters assaulting shopkeepers, stealing alcohol and causing criminal damage.

On September 4, a group laid siege to a 180 bus in McLeod Road.

They threw stones at it and smashed in several of its windows.

The driver stopped and locked the bus until police arrived to escort the passengers off.

One shopkeeper says the trouble started with seven girls and has now grown to up to 50 youths.

He says the youngsters were coming from the Bexley area, having been forced out by the dispersal zones in Bexleyheath and Welling, and were using their Oyster cards to travel free to other areas.

He said on September 8, a group of drunken girls and some boys tried to force their way into his shop.

He claims they assaulted him when he tried to close the door.

He added: "They wrecked the Co-op."

An IT consultant who was on the besieged bus with his two daughters said they were terrified.

He said: "You have to be a brave person to go to Abbey Wood village at night."