Police call on Shirebrook parents to ensure their children are 'behaving appropriately' in bid to tackle anti-social behaviour

Problems stemming from anti-social behaviour have been an ongoing issue in Shirebrook, with some taking to social media to vent their frustration.

Sally Walker said: “Six o’clock this evening there was about 50 of them congregated on the market place and quite a few carrying crates of beer. I said there’ll be trouble! I thought it was meant to be a zero drinking zone around Shirebrook...what’s happened to that?! And who’s selling them crates of alcohol?”

Nicki Langham added: “Sounds like some of the same ones I saw messing about and, I believe, trying to start a fire and smashing windows in the grounds of the derelict bungalow on Langwith Road.”

Some residents claim they have seen children as young as eight hanging around in large groups near the marketplace, harassing people and causing problems for businesses.

Sargeant Mark Church, of the Shirebrook Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the force has attempted to tackle the problem by working with local partnership agencies including Bolsover District Council as well as stepping up patrols in the area and using police dispersal powers.

He is calling on parents to do their bit, by ensuring their children are ‘acting appropriately’.

“We are aware of concerns of anti-social behaviour in the Shirebrook area and have had incidents involving large groups of children and teenagers gathering in the area.

“Officers from the Shirebrook Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team are targeting these concerns as a priority,” said Sgt Church.

“We are also working with local partnership agencies including Bolsover District Council to re-introduce additional powers including a Public Spaces Protection Order which we hope will help target the problem in the long term,” he said.

He added: “We will also be targeting those we find to be persistently causing anti-social behaviour and working with parents and schools to help them improve their behaviour. Parents can help us to prevent these issues by taking time to find out where their child is, what they are doing and to ensure they are behaving appropriately.”