A Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator claims he was banned from his village shop for reporting under-age drinkers.

Simon Butterfield, of Thwaites Brow, had called police after an adult passed alcohol to children outside the Southams mini-market.

Mr Butterfield said that moments before he had seen the adult legally buy the booze inside the shop. The next time he visited the store to do his shopping, Mr Butterfield was shocked to be told to leave.

He insists his criticism had been aimed at members of the gang who gather outside the shop, not the shop itself.

Mr Butterfield said: "I have been punished for trying to do something right."

Mr Butterfield's experience came as Southams teamed up with Keighley police to tackle problems caused by the gang.

Up to 50 teenagers at a time congregate between the shop and the former Long Lee First School, causing misery to nearby residents.

In a bid to make the area less attractive to the youths, the shop is temporarily closing earlier on weekend evenings.

Keighley's Problem Oriented Police (POP) team is increasing patrols and is working with Bradford Council to impose Anti-Social Behaviour Orders on some teenagers.

Mr Butterfield, who has been Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for five years, said some youngsters had clearly been under the influence of alcohol.

"Old people feel as if they're intimidated going to the shop because they don't want to go through all these youngsters," he said.

Mr Butterfield said Southams was strict about not serving alcohol to under-18s and added that the shop banned the adult who passed on the booze.

He said the problem was that 18 and 19-year-olds legally bought alcohol and passed it to younger friends.

Mr Butterfield expected his action in informing the police would have been supported by Southams.

He said: "I thought what I'd done was right. I thought I'd get some backing for it, but it backfired. I had my knuckles rapped."

Insp Nigel Cawthorne, leader of the POP team, said his officers had increased patrols and regularly moved the youths on.

He said: "We are working with Neighbourhood Watch, the shop and Bradford Council's tenancy enforcement team."

Southams declined to comment when approached this week by the Keighley News.