FURIOUS parents in Gargrave have reacted bitterly to accusations that their children hurl foul language at residents and cause a nuisance with footballs.

Anger boiled over at Monday's parish council meeting after parents received letters accusing a group of children of being abusive.

These letters had been sent out to seven families after a resident of Airedale Avenue had complained about children and youths playing football, kicking the balls into residents' gardens and swearing when challenged.

However, the parents have retaliated saying they should have been approached personally before letters were sent out.

"What's more," explained one parent, "these same residents are sending the children off the playing field at the top of Airedale Avenue which we helped to raise the £40,000 needed to re-develop."

The shelving of the long-awaited bypass has also sparked safety concerns as the alternative play area is across the A65 at Low Green.

"There are over 60 children living in the Swire Croft, Smithy Croft and Eshton Road areas, and a handful of residents are expecting these children to cross the busy A65 road," she said.

"The problem is Low Green residents don't like them playing football near their gardens either so they are sent away. But Low Green was an area for playing football long before the houses were built.

"There was an incident a short while ago when a friendly football match had been organised. Only 15 minutes into the game a ball accidentally got kicked into a garden and the home owner came out and made a scene in the middle of the pitch," she explained.

Parish council chairman Jack Maud said the council was sympathetic to the plight of the children and was looking to re-site some goal posts in the playing field on Airedale Avenue so balls were less likely to end up in gardens.

"The parish council has offered to erect a high fence around one of the houses at the top to stop the problem but the offer has been rejected. The other alternative would be for us to grow a leylandii hedge," he explained.

"Gargrave Cricket and Football Club has said the children can play football at the bottom end of its field but this too is causing residents to complain," he added.

At the meeting, parents asked if a letter could be drafted which the children could carry around to show that they were within their rights to play football on these areas.

They also demanded a letter of apology be sent to all the parents in question.

The parish council is hoping that it can come up with a solution to the problem soon and the matter will be raised at the next meeting.

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