BUTTOCKS being bared at residents, abusive behaviour and the discovery of syringes has led to a call for a vigilante group to patrol the Knoll at Bramhope.

The matter was raised at the latest meeting of Bramhope Parish Council by Councillor Fred McHale.

He said: "We found a lot of syringes there and the police in Otley were quite interested.

"The second occasion, it was one weekend night and things happened at the Parklands side of the Knoll.

"Youths had been giving residents a lot of lip, baring bottoms and that sort of thing."

Coun McHale said that one caller had suggested the formation of a vigilante group to deal with the problem.

He said: "He knocked at my door, wanting to form a vigilante team and I said, well hang on, we are a parish council."

Village lengthsman Brian Long said that syringes had been found in the area and suggested getting photographic evidence of the offenders.

He said: "There have been a lot of complaints. It seems to be a meeting point. You find bottles and cans, that sort of thing. It is a bit of a pain.

"They seem to go up there on Saturday and Sunday nights, but nobody seems to know who they are. Some say they come from Otley, but I can't see the point.

"They are using the area as a bit of a get-together. They can sit on the swings and smoke their fags, or whatever they are smoking."

He added: "I think some people want to get together and go round and sort them out, I don't mean with big sticks, but with cameras."

PC John Heys, the community constable for Bramhope, Pool-in-Wharfedale and Arthington, said that residents should be very careful if syringes were discovered.

He said: "Obviously people should not handle them because they could end up pricking themselves and they don't know what it contains.

"Perhaps the best thing to do would be to ring the police if people find syringes, especially if it is areas where children play."

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