SECURITY guards have been recruited to protect staff from a gang of vandals at a crime-plagued Bolton health centre -- some aged as young as seven.

The guards were drafted in after nurses, doctors and employees suffered a barrage of abuse from youths at the Avondale Health Centre in Brownlow Fold.

The centre narrowly escaped being destroyed this week after an arson attack believed to have been started by the young troublemakers. Now the situation has deteriorated so much that Bolton Community Health care Trust has had to call in the security guards -- the first patrolling a health centre in Bolton.

The news comes a day after Bolton North East MP David Crausby urged the Government to increase the number of police officers on the town's streets.

Mr Crausby had a face-to-face meeting with Home Secretary David Blunkett yesterday. They discussed the need to make greater use of anti-social behaviour orders against the yobs.

Mr Crausby said: "We need more bobbies on the beat to free police officers from paperwork.

"The Home Secretary told me 17 per cent of officers patrolled the streets. I don't see such numbers in Bolton."

Staff at the Avondale Health Centre claim they are under siege. Incidents over the last month have included:

Youths jumping up and down on doctors' cars.

An attempt to burn down the building on Monday night by piling up blazing rubbish against a wall.

Windows smashed with bricks and so many broken bottles smashed on the car park staff and patients have been unable to use it.

Grass, mud and stones being piled on nurses' cars.

Numerous dents, scratches and door mirrors ripped off staff cars.

Skylights on the roof damaged.

Youths sitting on steps outside the building verbally abusing staff and patients as they come and go from the building

Mr Crausby believes there is a need to find more activities for the young to do with their time. He said: "One issue is boredom but it is no excuse. It's time to turn the corner and address these issues, to cut youth crime, burglaries and car theft."

The Brownlow Fold health centre is used as a base for 60 health care workers including seven doctors, their receptionists and practice nurses, community district nurses, health visitors, school nurses, a learning disabilities team and podiatry staff.

Problems have become so bad that Community Trust finance director John Critchley fears that the vandals could end up destroying the building and depriving local people of its facilities.

It was nearly burned to the ground on Monday after an arson attack. The fire was spotted by a caretaker who had been called to the building on an unrelated matter.

Centre manager Kath Bailey says the strain is telling on the nurses. "They are trying to do their work and organise visits and are constantly worrying about their cars being vandalised while they are inside," she said.

A centre worker has managed to take video pictures of youths jumping up and down on doctors' cars parked outside the centre, but they were not clear enough for police to identify the culprits.

The video shows a group of teenage boys and girls gathering around the health centre steps as it grows dark.

Two youths start wrestling near one of the parked cars, but soon they are throwing each other onto the bonnet and hurling themselves at the vehicle in a bid to damage it.

Mr Critchley says cash which should be going toward improving services for patients is now having to be diverted to improve security and repair damage.

Supt Stuart Bailey, head of Astley Bridge police, said that there were similar difficulties at the health centre several months ago. A police operation was mounted which largely solved the problem.

He said that officers were aware of the current situation, adding: "We are taking measures to deal with it and a crime reduction adviser has written to the managers with an offer of his assistance."