Pensioners claim gangs of children roaming their streets - unchecked by police - have left them living under mob rule conditions.

Many elderly people living in roads off Horspath Road, Cowley, are now afraid to leave their homes alone, following streams of verbal abuse by groups of up to 30 children, shouting and screaming in the early hours of the morning, vandalism and motorcycles being ridden on pavements.

They said they have given up hoping the police will sort the situation out for them, after several fruitless visits from officers and unreturned telephone calls to police.

Chris Smith, 62, has had one youth threaten to burn her house down and a group hurl abuse at her while she was standing at a bus stop.

She now will not travel from her home to Cowley centre unless she can get a taxi and has been asked to accompany other elderly friends to a nearby shop during the daytime because they dare not venture out alone.

She said: "People here are scared to leave their homes. It's not on that people threaten to burn down your home and the police don't come.

"This has been going on for a while, but has got worse since the school holidays started. There can be up to 30 of them, mostly aged between eight and 17, but some as young as five. The shouting and screaming is horrendous."

A 71-year-old woman, who lives in nearby Normandy Crescent, said: "They're all bullies and thugs. It's mob rule here. They can be out there until 4am, and people just don't want to leave their homes because of it."

Thames Valley Police spokesman Lucy Ferguson said: "We have been contacted nine times since May about problems in the area and our beat officers are aware that there are problems concerning youths in the roads.

"The most recent incident concerns unruly youths congregating in Craufurd Road (pictured above) on August 13.

"We understand this must be extremely worrying for residents, particularly if they are elderly."