Police will hit the streets of Abingdon and Wantage over the summer to stop teenage yobs causing mayhem.

As thousands of youngsters prepare for the summer holidays, police have launched a campaign to crack down on youths loitering, drinking underage, vandalising property and tormenting residents.

Police officers will be on specific youth patrols scouring known trouble hotspots to tackle unruly behaviour during the summer holidays.

Teenage yobs caught being a nuisance will be threatened with acceptable behaviour contracts, antisocial behaviour orders or penalties imposed on their parents for failing to control their children's behaviour.

The patrols will take place across the Vale of the White Horse in the hope of bringing peace to thousands of residents during the school break.

But some youth workers fear the patrols tarnish the reputation of all teenagers.

Earlier this year, Peachcroft estate in Abingdon became the first area in the county where Dispersal Orders were used to stop teens hanging around on street corners and outside shops causing antisocial behaviour.

Chief Insp Dave Purnell said: "We are regularly contacted by residents who are concerned about large groups of youths drinking, causing trouble, vandalising property and being abusive.

"We expect these reports to go up during the summer so we are being proactive to ensure everyone has a safe and pleasant summer."

Teenagers face being arrested or subject to court orders to tackle their behaviour.

Mr Purnell added: "This is not about spoiling anyone's fun and any youths who are out and about enjoying the weather and keeping on the right side of the law have nothing to fear."

The patrols will last for six weeks and posters will be put up around both towns advising parents that they should ensure youths are supervised, warning them of the operation and telling adults not to buy alcohol for underage drinkers.

Bill Jones, community safety manager for the Vale council, said: "I'm sure we can all remember the boredom of summer holidays when we were young, but there are plenty of activities available for young people."

Senior area youth worker Garry Kingett welcomes 300 teenagers to the SweatBox youth club at King Alfred's Secondary School in Wantage every Friday.

He said: "If they are targeting the minority who are causing problems and doing it sensitively then it's fine.

"A small minority of young people have behaviour problems, but if we are not careful all young people will be viewed as being deviant."

YOUNG PEOPLE HIT BACK AT ACCUSERS

Young people in Wallingford hit back after listening to adults blaming them for most of the town's ills from antisocial behaviour to speeding.

They were among the audience of 80 at a public meeting listening to police roll out the latest community policing initiative which involves members of the public and local business people in Neighbourhood Action Groups.

The meeting came up with three top priorities which police have promised the action groups will tackle immediately.

But during the meeting young people were blamed for under-age drinking, graffiti, antisocial behaviour when the pubs shut, damage to the Castle Gardens, speeding in souped-up cars, gathering in intimidating groups, vandalism, bad language and general bad behaviour.

James Burns, 15, from Wallingford, told the meeting: "There are so few facilities for young people.

"If we gather together then we are moved on by the police. They keep moving us around without any good reason."

And 16-year-old Sam Elkins said: "Not everyone is in a gang - we are just out and about and not doing anyone any harm.

"We are not responsible for everything that goes wrong in Wallingford."

Their intervention gained a round of applause from many adults and police at the meeting.

Wallingford resident Kevin Harvey said: "One thing comes very clearly out of this.

"If the police were actually on the streets most of these complaints would be dealt with.

"There are 14 police personnel in this meeting - we don't normally see that many in Wallingford in a year."

Wallingford mayor Nigel Moor thanked the police for talking about the new initiative.

Insp Tony Walker told the meeting that the new initiative was Government-backed, properly funded and resourced and that Wallingford area would have specific police personnel to look after the town.

Under local police chief, Insp Nick Cain, the Wallingford officers will be Sgt Fraser Weller, PC Andy Hornsby, police community support officers Chris Wyatt and Sam Greenhough and civilian volunteer Keith Ashworth.

The top three priorities they and the neighbourhood action group will tackle are underage drinking, vandalism and speeding.