AN 86-year-old Runcorn woman with Alzheimers left shaking with fear as youths jump on cars outside her home.

Three Widnes teenagers left too frightened to go out because gangs of young men and girls drink until they pass out in the park opposite.

Everyone has their own story of how intimidating yobbish behaviour can be.

At Runcorn Town Hall, the issue dominated the police's regular meeting with the public.

One man said: "There seems to be a general lack of reassurance from the police. I have had problems in the past where we called the police and the response is appalling. No one comes back to you, nothing seems to happen.

"I have been a resident of Halton Brook for 36 years, I came here when the estate was first built and the estate was absolutely lovely.

"But today during the night and during summer holidays it can be a nightmare, it's like the Bronx.

"When people phone the police they want someone to say we will go and sort that out, but it's not happening."

Because of problems like this the police are making big changes.

They have taken officers away from 999 calls to work in sector police teams.

"The idea of these sector teams is they are not there as instant hit squads, they are there to treat problems in the long-term fashion," said Supt Dave Booth, the head of Halton police.

Seven sector teams cover Halton, each with a sergeant and eight staff. The police hope the sector teams will stop anti-social behaviour starting in the first place, putting a brake on the constant rise in 999 calls.

Many people at the meeting were unhappy with 999 responses - one man whose car was vandalised near Runcorn Castle said once he had been put through to Blackburn.

The sector police are only now being fully 'rolled out', and the meeting heard the next six to nine months would see change - and if it didn't that was a cause for concern.

Supt Dave Booth said: "Times are changing. Halton is on the up and partnership work has changed this place. If you can't see it go away and come back after five years like I did."

He added: "People talk about these kids that cause trouble like they come from another planet but they are the kids of the people of Halton, and it's not up to the police and victim to find a cure, the cure lies in the hands of the parents."