A care worker says teenagers are causing misery for residents in the town centre because they are bored.

Stacey Mcnulty spotted youths climbing on scaffolding and throwing stones at the windows of flats for the elderly in Herne Bay.

The 25-year-old from Canterbury was visiting her friend in Western Avenue when she heard the commotion.

She said: “I just heard shouting, then I could see them climbing on the scaffolding. One fell off while others were swinging around.

“I would say they were at least 13 or 14. They were throwing stones and then lying on their front and back in the middle of the road before they just walked off.

“They could have hurt themselves or the elderly people and I don’t think it’s fair they behave like that.

“If you were one of the residents or a young mum they would not be very nice to walk past.”

Now Ms Mcnulty fears that anti-social behaviour is becoming a part of life in the town centre.

She added: “It’s always happening around Herne Bay. A couple of weeks ago outside a shop they threw a ball at my car windscreen.

“When I told them it’s not their property, they went off and started throwing it at the windows of someone’s flat.

“There are always kids who are drunk and arguing, standing on street corners. I think they are bored and causing trouble as they have nothing to do.

“When I was that age I was not allowed to go out roaming around out on the town that late at night getting drunk.”

Ms Mcnulty’s concerns follow a spate of separate incidents in the town centre where youngsters have been suspected of causing trouble.

Last summer newly-planted trees near the Memorial Park were found snapped, while Herne Bay Infant School was trashed by drunk yobs in August last year.

This year there have been reports of teenagers squirting dozens of cars around the town with brightly coloured paints, and a fortnight ago shopkeeper Linda Cameron reported yobs jumping on her car bonnet.

Five teenagers arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to the cars have been bailed until September 11.