By Conor Sharkey
RESIDENTS of a Strabane housing estate have vowed to face down the thugs who have reduced the area to a "living nightmare".
Around 60 Springhill Park residents gathered at Springhill Community Centre on Tuesday to discuss the anti-social behaviour which they say has made the estate a no-go area for police.
According to residents, a gang of around 20 youths have been making life a misery on the once lively estate for the past six months.
The deteriorating suation was starkly highlighted last Thursday when an ice-cream van was burnt out in broad daylight as children queued for cones. In a follow-up incident, police were forced to abandon door-to-door enquiries as they came under a hail of stones and bottles.
Other recent incidents include the burning of cars, windows being smashed and, on one occasion say residents, shots being fired.
According to those living in Springhill, the situation has spiralled since the estate was gripped by rioting in May. Then, police were attacked for several hours by youths as young as eight, throwing bottles, paint and petrol bombs.
One person was arrested in connection with the unrest, however it is unclear if charges were pursued, a fact which has effectively given the gang a free rein to wreak mayhem, it has been claimed.
On previous occasions, Springhill householders have remained largely silent over the problems on the estate.
But since last Thursday's burning of the ice cream van in full view of children and toddlers, community disgust has stepped up dramatically. And now they are preparing to make a stand.
On Tuesday, residents of all ages gathered to discuss the way forward and how the scourge of anti-social behaviour can be stamped out once and for all.
Marion Cooke has lived at Springhill park since it was built 30 years ago. Her grand-daughter Shauneen narrowly escaped injury when Phelim Kerlin's ice cream was burnt out.
Prior to Tuesday's meeting Marion and her daughter Amanda told the Strabane Chronicle that the entire estate needs to unite before Springhill is destroyed beyond repair.
"It has become a living nightmare up here," Amanda Cooke explained. "The biggest problem is that people won't stand together and fight these people but what happened last Thursday was the breaking point for a lot of people, mainly because there was children caught up in it.
"But there's no point in a handful of us saying we will stand up, it has to be a united approach or we are going to end up having no estate at all," Miss Cooke said.
Similarly, Springhill community leader Jacqueline Gallagher said people needed to work together to take the estate back as their own.
"The response after the ice cream van was burnt was brilliant. Everyone was united against the thuggery and violence and that's what is needed. We aren't miracle workers, we are community workers and a united stance is needed if we are ever going to beat the anti-social behaviour up here," Mrs Gallagher added.
