7:00pm Sunday 5th July 2009
By Stephen Bailey
HIGHCLIFFE residents say teenagers partying on the beach are breaking through their property as a short cut home.
Some youths either climb the gates of Highcliffe Castle or break down the fence with adjoining houses, claim the angry householders.
One resident, who asked not be named, said on the morning of Saturday, June 28, two groups passed through his garden at 3am and 6am and damaged a 14ft section of fence.
“I shouted and they ran away,” he said. “I don’t like to go out because you never know what will happen these days.”
He said the problem was long-running and other residents’ ornaments and flowers had been damaged.
David Hopkins, the manager of Highcliffe Castle, said anti-vandal paint or spikes could injure people or push the problem elsewhere.
He said: “There’s not a straightforward solution, otherwise it would have been solved years ago.”
He said a positive police response two years ago had stopped that summer’s problem and that the castle was again in talks with Dorset police.
PC Justin Clarke, from the Highcliffe Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “The problem is a regular occurrence every year once the local youngsters start meeting on the beach.
“Generally they are very good-natured but obviously the problems start when property starts to become damaged.”
PC Clarke said the castle locks its gates at 10pm and when the youngsters return expecting to find their way out, they climb over the gates or over neighbours’ fences instead of walking to Steamer Point, five minutes away.
He added: “We will be stepping up the frequency of patrols and will be putting up some additional signage to point them in the right direction.
“More than anything it’s dangerous to be climbing the gates, especially if they have had a few drinks.”
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