TEENAGE yobs are still bringing terror to the streets of Horwich, residents have claimed.

And they are calling on the police to put more bobbies on the beat to tackle the problem.

A meeting of the first Bolton Council area forum to be held for the Horwich, Blackrod and Westhoughton area was told that under-age youths buy alcohol and then cause trouble in quiet residential areas.

There were demands at the meeting for more facilities to keep youths from wandering about in gangs on the streets at night.

But Steve Rock, who is the youth club co-ordinator at Brazley community centre in Cedar Avenue, Horwich, said: "It's all very well people asking for more youth clubs, but a lot of parents simply want their kids out of their hair for the night.

"Nobody can be bothered to help us and I can only get the community centre for a four-hour session per week for the youth club which is not enough time.''

One concerned resident suggested inviting the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police to attend a future forum meeting and to take him on a tour of the entire area to reveal the problems created by troublesome gangs of youths.

Transport problems were also discussed at the meeting.

Cycle lanes were the most controversial issue with some Horwich residents suggesting the town's cycle lanes were a waste of time as they were full of parked cars.

But chairman of the forum, Cllr Barbara Ronson, said that many cyclists from the area were happier to have an imperfect system than no cycle lanes at all.

Horwich town councillor and member of the Parent Teachers' Association at Rivington and Blackrod High School, John Cronnolley, raised the long-standing problem of parents parking next to schools.

The school has already borrowed traffic cones from the police to stop parents from parking on both sides of the road.

But Cllr Cronnolly said: "A pupil from the school will be killed crossing the road unless we can stop parents parking there and a better bus system is needed."