By Conor Sharkey

RESIDENTS of a Strabane housing estate say they are under siege from a gang of youths, roaming the area at night and causing mayhem.

That's the stark claim from residents of Springhill Park who further claim that the estate has become a 'no go' area for the PSNI - a claim denied by the police.

The situation has escalated to an extent that the area's community workers say the only way to reclaim the estate from the thugs is if people stand united.

As one worker told us, "We are community workers, not miracle workers."

There has been a litany of incidents in Springhill in the past three months, kicking off after a riot in May and culminating in an ice-cream van being torched one week ago.

A masked gang firebombed the van as young toddlers and children queued to buy ice cream.

Whilst young people are not believed to have been behind the arson, nonetheless they are being blamed for making the lives of residents a 'living nightmare'.

In recent weeks cars have been burnt, windows broken and claims that shots were fired.

Residents called a crisis meeting on the estate on Tuesday where they told the Chronicle that the gang members, said to be 20 strong, are coming in from surrounding areas.

As one resident said, "There is no point in a handful of us saying we will stand up. It has to be united or we will end up with no estate at all."