Yobs spark call for park patrol (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Yobs spark call for park patrol

7:00am Monday 17th September 2012 in News By Cadisha Brown

Buy this photo » Safety first: Janice Hopkins is calling for more patrols at Brinton Park.

THE family of a teenage girl “traumatised” after she and her friends were attacked by a gang of thugs in a Kidderminster park want better security in the play area.

The 13-year-old, who is too frightened to be named, was playing on the swings in Kidderminster’s Brinton Park with four of her friends when the yobs “went for them” without reason.

The youngster told The Shuttle how she managed to escape from the park and crouched behind parked cars, fearing for her safety as the gang punched and kicked her friends in the play area, at about 2pm on Sunday, September 2.

Her mother Emma Thresh and grandmother Janice Hopkins – both with different surnames to the girl – are now calling for the park to be better patrolled so children can play safely.

Conservative councillor Ian Hardiman, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member for community wellbeing, said the park was patrolled from 9am until 10pm seven days a week, however.

Mrs Thresh said: “It’s horrendous to think that my daughter and her friends can’t go to the park without being beaten up for no reason.

“They did nothing to provoke these kids and they were just attacked. They are quiet kids and this group just went for them.”

She added her daughter was left “traumatised” by the attack and is now suffering with “terrible” nightmares and flashbacks.

“Something’s got to be done to make kids feel safe in the park,”

Mrs Thresh said.

Mrs Hopkins added: “When I was young there were park keepers and I want something like that brought back.”

Mr Hardiman said the council did all it could to keep people safe, adding he was “appalled” by the incident.

He added: “The fact that it is an extremely rare occurrence makes it all the more shocking and we send our kindest thoughts to the children and family involved.”

Wyre Forest local policing chief, Inspector Paul Crowley, said officers were investigating the incident “Our local policing teams are putting on extra patrols in the area and we will be working with the parks patrol service to try and keep the park a safe place to be,” he added.