POLICE are reassuring residents who are becoming increasingly concerned amid the spate of anti-social behaviour and arson attacks in the Wharton Estate area in Winsford.

The Wharton area, in particular Dee Way, has been hit with a high number of arson attacks in the past three months and has resulted in countless appeals from Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire Service for the public to report these crimes, as well as increased patrols.

Now the police are once again stepping up their efforts in focusing on stamping out the anti-social behaviour in Wharton they say is ‘making life a misery’ for residents.

Insp Dave Snasdell said: “During the past week in the evening time we have again had problems on the Wharton estate with youths causing damage, setting fire to wheelie bins and causing anti-social behaviour. We will be targeting individuals and looking to consider closure orders on premises which are allowing youths to congregate at the properties.

“We have the support of the housing trust to own the properties and plea to members of this community to come forward and speak with the Police on individuals who are making life a misery for the majority of law abiding residents.

“This next week we will be doing leaflet drops in the Dee Way area and surrounding street to gain support from the community to rid these individuals from the area if they cannot respect the area.

“We are increasing patrols in the evening time to try and prevent some of the incidents occurring and identify individual youths who are causing the issues.”

The latest statement from the Northwich Police Unit on the matter comes as one resident spoke out in frustration about what is happening around his home.

The Wharton Estate resident, who does not want to be named, said: “It’s terrible around Dee Way at the minute, they’re hanging around and lighting fires every night. My daughter keeps asking if the teenagers are going to come and set fire to her bed.

“I called the police on Tuesday night last week to say that there was a group lighting fires with mattresses. It was chaos they were blowing up aerosol cans and everything and I have a young child here.

“They said someone will be out but no one came out until they came with the fire engine long after the culprits had gone. If they had come originally when I phoned up, it could have been prevented.”

Police confirmed that they responded to two reports in the area on that night with response times of 10 minutes and 39 minutes.

Chief Insp Simon Meegan added: “Although we sometimes see an increase in this type of incident over the Hallowe’en and bonfire period, it is disappointing that a minority of young people are continuing to engage in this behaviour.

"We will continue to work alongside Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to deal with anti-social behaviour and small rubbish fires in the Wharton area of Winsford and would urge anyone with information to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

"The local beat team will be visiting local residents this week and also the parents of some of the young people believed to be involved in anti-social behaviour. Additional patrols have taken place in the area and this has been supported by plain clothes officers.

"We are continuing to work the Fire Service, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Weaver Vale Housing Trust to deal with those involved and prevent further incidents.

"The disruption and impact of this ongoing anti-social behaviour on the community is what we continue to work on preventing.”