Loitering teens

[knobblykneesandturnedouttoes]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any good experiences of dealing with large groups of loitering teenagers? There are about 15-20 outside my house most evenings. Aged around 14/16 I'm guessing. They sit on my wall, sometimes play a game where they end up pushing each other over the wall into my garden, leave lots of litter including glass bottles smashed on the pavement, but mostly they're just so noisy! It's nothing sinister, they're laughing and clearly having a lot of fun but it stops my 2 year old from sleeping. I haven't spoken to them about it and I'm not sure how to. I'm not against them being there, and part of me thinks if I speak to them they might just keep the noise down, the other part of me is scared they might get worse.

I suppose it's really a what would you do? Get brave and hope they're understanding, or a friend suggested I call the community police for advice. I know it's coming to the end of summer and am hoping they won't be out as much when school starts.

Go out and just nicely ask if they can go elsewhere? Hopefully they just don't realise they're annoying you and trundle off somewhere else?

"Hiya, am trying to get my little one to sleep, would you all mind going down the road? Thank you!"

If they're buggers about it and don't move, then community police would be next people to speak to?

Our local PCSO is really good with this sort of thing, they kind of 'jolly them along' and fend off any potential anti-social aspects of their behaviour. Could you perhaps have a chat with the community police team and see if they can tackle it? If you make it clear it's not (yet) a complaint you just want them to reign it in then it may resolve without causing you further trouble. (Also it will help when it's cold and raining again!)

Ask the local PCSO to wander past a few times?

You could always get some really smelly manure and spread it liberally on the flower bed next to the wall. Hopefully the pong will deter them from hanging about

Ps do realise a group of teens can be rather intimidating. So good luck to you OP. am hoping you'll be pleasantly surprised when you ask them to move!

Ha ha manure what a fab idea! I'm a bit nervous about going to talk to them as I'm on my own with the kids. There are so many of them, If they do get nasty, it could be so much worse than whats happening now. I feel bad saying this though, as I usually see the good in people, and think that teens on the whole are great, you just hear so many bad stories these days.

Mosquito device

This might move them on!

Ooh yes manure is a really good idea or plant a very spikey hedge? (Hawthorn is cheap and very prickly) though this would take a while I guess.