GANGS of thugs - some as young as nine - are terrorising residents of an Oxford estate.

Police have launched special patrols to try to catch about 40 yobs thought to be behind a series of attacks involving smashed

windows, graffiti and vandalism.

Patrick Chapman, 46, of Spencer Crescent, Rose Hill, says the campaign of terror against his family alone has seen:

lDEAD RABBITS left on the lawn of their council house in a chilling echo of the stalker movie Fatal Attraction;

lAssaults on his wife Carole and 14-year-old son Paul;

lDOG MESS stuffed into their letterbox; and

lGRAFFITIscrawled across the front of their house.

Landscape gardener Patrick said: "Last week my windows were smashed and my gate broken. We've had our door kicked in and they've even put broken glass in our milk bottles. You can't get much lower than that."

He is convinced many other people are living in fear but are too terrified to speak out. "We have lived in the house for ten years. We don't want to move but we are being forced to ask the council to find us somewhere else."

A 64-year-old neighbour who asked not to be named said: "A brick came through the window as we were sitting in our front room. It almost smashed the television set. I can't sleep at night waiting for something to happen."

Driving instructor Altas Hussain, 52, of nearby Courtland Road, said his family had also suffered.

He said he had to spend £800 to build a wall around his house after gangs gathered to chant racist slogans and daub obscene graffiti.

And student Kevin East, 19, of Spencer Crescent, pointed to a smashed window. "Someone did that with a stone. We have had eggs thrown at the house."

Rose Hill beat officer Pc Andy Heelas said: "The offenders who have carried out these anti-social acts have not yet been identified, despite regular police patrols passing the house.

"We feel sympathy and will work in partnership with the city council to try to deal with this problem."

City council senior estates manager Anita Wickens said: "We are in touch with the police and are hoping to get together to see what can be done. There are a number of measures we could take but we much prefer to root out the cause of the problem."

Cllr Bill Buckingham said "The Chapmans' case appals me and you can only feel for the victims.

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