As I sat watching Changing Rooms last night the neighbourhood erupted into a riot with a gang of 20 youths pursuing my daughters friends family into my house and stoning theirs. The gang threatened to burn their house down, so I had 5 scared little girls and 1 macho goth to control last night. Then the girls said someone had kicked their front door in that afternoon while they were in the house and threatened to stab them in place of the previous tenant. They didnt say because they thought I'd worry! Sheesh! It all started because the girls mum saw the gang breaking into their neighburs house and vandalising it. Shes a working single parent and has to go to work today. All the shouting and fighting has unsettled Morse who's started growling at people passing the back gate. This is the 6th incident in as many weeks and I am fed up.

wow you poor thing, won't the police do anything or is that a stupid question?

How on earth did you manage to control your son??? I'm sure that I'd have to have put mine into a headlock to stop him confronting the gang! You poor thing - and I'll bet that the police didn't appear until it was all over?

Don't know what to suggest that is safe - it's a sad world when people cannot stand up to thugs without being hounded like this! Is there a community liaison officer or anyone like this on your local council? If there is, they may be able to help. If you, the girls' mum and a couple of other like-minded people can get together, you might find that the thugs start to disperse. If you can, get the "granny brigade" - ie people of my age - late 50s early 60s - still fit and confident - to band together with you.

All the very best

Margot

Controlling Gothboy is simple as Im a blackbelt in judo and used to regularly deck him in play fights as a lad so he's conditioned to obey and he's also no daft and realises 15 against 1 is poor odds. Youre both right the police were too short staffed to attend. Sadly no-one is prepared to take a stand.