RIVAL teenage gangs from Ballybofey and Letterkenny are using the Bebo website to arrange weekend fights, it has emerged.

School children, aged between 13 and 17-years-old, issued threats and used the Internet to make arrangements for the fights. Gardai have been notified about the latest trend and were aware that a fight had been arranged for Saturday afternoon. The teenagers were to meet in Letterkenny and travel by bus to Ballybofey. Gardai believe that the gang had intended to carry out a serious assault on one Ballybofey teenager in particular.

The teenagers had traded gay insults and abusive messages for a number of weeks with vindictive taunts centred on one individual. Gardai are treating the threat of teenage violence seriously and have issued a warning to all young people involved and asked parents to be more aware of their offspring's online activities.

Online identities and nicknames are being used to taunt rivals from Letterkenny and Ballybofey which is now spilling over into the threat of real violence.

The problem is not confined to both towns. Gardai have confirmed that tensions are running high between the rival teenagers from Kilmacrennan also. Teenagers from towns around the county have been signing up online and engaging in a vindictive war of words which has spilled over into pre-arranged fights.

The latest development comes weeks after reports of increased incidences of "happy slapping" where attacks were recorded and distributed on mobile phones among Donegal teenagers.