Residents in Sefton in Merseyside say they have been left feeling unsafe after a spate of anti-social behaviour incidents over the Bank Holiday weekend at Crosby beach
Residents in one corner of Merseyside claim they are ‘under siege’ following a string of anti-social behaviour incidents over the past week. With another hectic weekend anticipated along Sefton’s coastline, council bosses and police have devised a strategy to tackle further trouble, after “ongoing reports of anti-social behaviour and youths causing a nuisance in the community.”
This follows thousands flocking to the north Merseyside coast during the three-day Bank Holiday weekend, sparking complaints of littering, verbal abuse, violence and other disorderly conduct.
Among the incidents, officers were summoned to Crosby beach at approximately 5.50pm on Monday (May 25), after reports of a disturbance near the boating lake. A 19-year-old woman suffered a graze to her head and a superficial scratch to her arm. She was transported to hospital for examination and has since been released. Police detained a 16-year-old lad from Litherland.
Hundreds of responses flooded the Liverpool Echo ‘s Facebook page, many from local residents expressing alarm about the broader issue of anti-social behaviour around Crosby beach, South Road in Waterloo, and neighbouring areas.
One response stated: “It was absolute bedlam yesterday, 1000s of teens, drugs, booze, the trains cancelling or not stopping. I had to take an Uber around 6pm from work for my safety, but these kids don’t have the money so were literally stuck on South Road.”
The matter of anti-social behaviour was also being raised on local Facebook groups, where one individual posted: “We are all under siege from these feral teenagers.”,
This view was echoed by another contributor, who remarked: “I’ve seen pictures of the behaviour of same sorts of age groups around South Road… standing on bus shelters, gangs of them going about causing mayhem. They know that there are zero consequences.”
Nevertheless, people also resisted condemning young people too severely, arguing they are convenient scapegoats for criticism. One person stated that something should be done to help the youngsters and “stop with the blame”.
There were multiple accounts of transport problems in the vicinity, including postponed and scrapped train services during the early evening of May 25. Residents had also voiced complaints about anti-social behaviour from youngsters, alleging they had targeted bus stops and had shouted abuse at drivers.
The Liverpool ECHO approached Arriva and Stagecoach to enquire whether any incidents had been reported by their personnel, but were informed no such reports had been recorded.
The ECHO also reached out to Sefton Council, along with Waterloo ward councillor, Neil Doolin, to enquire about the alleged disruption in those locations, and what measures are being taken to address residents’ concerns.
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “Anti-social behaviour on our streets is not tolerated. Unfortunately, Sefton residents have had to deal with the lack of respect shown by some individuals.
“The safety and wellbeing of residents is a priority for Sefton Council. We will continue to work closely with the police and local partners to address nuisance behaviour in Crosby and the surrounding area.
“We are aware that a number of anti-social behaviour incidents occurred over the Bank Holiday weekend, both in Crosby and elsewhere. We welcome visitors to our coast but ask that they act responsibly and show consideration to residents who live here all year round.”
These views were echoed by Cllr Doolin, who said: “We’ve liaised with Council officers and other partners, including Merseyside Police, to raise our concerns.
“Residents welcome visitors to Waterloo to support our local economy, support shops, bars and local jobs but we can’t accept this level of anti social behaviour in our community. We need police to have feet on the ground, along with Green Sefton officers to support residents and immediately deal with offensive behaviour.
“We need police to be more proactive to reduce anti social behaviour on our beaches and beach areas. All visitors need to feel safe and not be fearful.”
On Thursday (May 28), Merseyside Police brought in a dispersal zone across Waterloo, Crosby and Blundellsands, after continued reports of “anti-social behaviour and youths causing a nuisance in the community.”
The dispersal zone was implemented at 6pm on Thursday and will remain in effect until 6pm on Saturday, May 30, when it will be reassessed. The police have confirmed that their officers will be present in the areas to maintain visibility and handle any incidents.
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Kenneth Sumner stated: “The warm sunny weather and school half-term has resulted in large groups of youths congregating, particularly around Crosby beach. As such, we have had reports of youths drinking alcohol, playing loud music and behaving in a disorderly and disruptive manner in the area.
“In addition, there has also been reports of vehicles gathering in Blundellsands to rev their engines and speeding on the roads, creating a noise nuisance and an increased risk to public safety.
“We have increased patrols in the area which is in addition to our dedicated neighbourhood police officers, and they will deal with any issues and prevent offences from taking place.
“With this, I appeal to parents and guardians, and urge them to know where their child is, what they are up to and friends they are with. No parent wants a knock on their door from a police officer informing them that their child has been arrested or been involved in a serious accident.
“If you witness any anti-social behaviour or have any information about such incidents, please contact or speak to our officers and we will take action.”