CONCERNED residents worried about increasing antisocial behaviour from youths in their village have called for a public meeting, which is being held this Saturday.

More than 70 locals are expected to attend and organisers are calling on more villagers to go along to the meeting, being held in Burton Primary School from 10am.

Organisers say that the aim of the meeting is to find a way forward and not lay the blame at policing methods, although senior police officers and community support officers will be there alongside council representatives to be part of the debate.

Cllr Colin Jamieson said: "Residents have been becoming more concerned about the problems so asked me to organise a meeting for them, which I have with our other ward councillor, David Flagg, and with the support of the parish council.

"They are campaigning against antisocial behaviour going on in the village.

"It's mostly stuff such as petty vandalism, under-age drinking, youngsters making noise, etc.

"We have always had low level antisocial behaviour in the village, especially at this time of year with the change in weather.

"But the problem is sporadic.

"My view is that it's a parenting problem more than an antisocial one.

"We get a lot of children displaced from other parts of the borough and then come here to congregate."

He says that the primary aim of the meeting is to tease out from people the major issues in the village, and not just whinge at the police.

"The object of the exercise is to find a way forward," he added.