Residents in Barton, Oxford, have called for uniformed wardens to patrol their estate to stem the tide of vandalism and stone-throwing against buses.

They have called for the city council's street wardens or new Police Community Support Officers, who have tougher powers, to be brought in to clamp down on antisocial behaviour.

The Oxford estate has been blighted by a spate of attacks in which missiles have been hurled at buses and bus operators have threatened to withdraw services in the interests of passenger and driver safety.

Services along London Road in Headington have also been frequent targets.

Sue Holden, secretary of Barton Community Association, said street wardens -- who patrol Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill -- should be introduced on a trial basis.

Oxford police's area commander Ch Supt David McWhirter said: "This is precisely the kind of antisocial behaviour that street wardens and community support officers are designed to tackle.

"I personally would welcome more people coming into those roles. But of course financial constraints could come into this."

Phil Clark, Oxford Bus Company commercial manager, said there had been a noticeable reduction in attacks on buses since street wardens were introduced in Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill.

Barton city councillor Mick McAndrews, who has organised a public meeting about the problem at Oxford Town Hall on Thursday said if funding was limited it would be better spent providing youth workers or leisure activities to occupy teenagers.

When the new staff were introduced in September, CSOs -- who are jointly funded by Oxfordshire County Council, the Home Office and Thames Valley Police -- were posted to Northern and Southern Oxfordshire to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Tell us what you think.