PARK visitors and residents are being urged to pull together to bring a Yeadon 'no-go area' back to life.

Frightened residents recently told the Wharfedale Observer how teenage gangs and young drug dealers gathering in Tarnfield Park were putting them in fear of their safety - and that of their children.

Now, the clubs that regularly use the park, and people who live near Yeadon Tarn, are being encouraged to form a 'friends' group to help improve and watch over the area.

Aireborough Community Involvement Team hopes to follow the lead set by Aireborough community groups, including Friends of Kirk Lane Park, in getting residents together to press for change.

CIT co-ordinator Jonathan Kerr said: "The idea was to try to form a group which was going to be a community and voluntary organisation, that would have a remit for supporting the Tarn, and provide feedback to the Parks and Countryside department."

The CIT is planning to arrange a public meeting, to give not only the clubs that use the park, but also residents who regularly walk or take their children there, a chance to participate.

Tarnfield Park is currently the home for a number of groups, including a sailing club, BMX club and youth club.

However, Mr Kerr made it clear that the CIT acting alone would not have access to the same range of funding as a voluntary group.

He said some self-help on the part of the community was needed.

He said: "There are other sources of funding which would not be open to the council, such as sponsorship, and various small lottery grants."

But any group will first have to find ways of tackling the roots of anti-social behaviour on the part of teenagers.

Concerned Yeadon people - including one father whose son ended up in hospital after being given drugs by older boys - said many residents feel intimidated walking through the park.

The CIT has discussed the problem with police, but believes one way of addressing the problem of disaffected youths is to give them something worthwhile to do.

"Much of the feedback says that alcohol is much more a problem than drugs, as it is everywhere.

"We are obviously not going to solve all the problems with young people.

"But we could provide them with something positive to do," said Mr Kerr.

The proposed group's goals could include pushing for an improvement in facilities - and one suggestion so far has been a skate park.

Mr Kerr recently met with Otley and District Lions president Eric Booth, who is considering making a youth scheme in park his worthwhile fundraising cause for the year.

A meeting to gather together those interested in forming a group, and discuss what facilities are needed in the park, is to be arranged shortly in Yeadon.

The CIT is keen in involve as many young people as possible in coming up with ideas.