A TEACHER who has taught acting skills to hundreds of local youngsters has been forced to close on her classes after yobs tried to torch her car outside a village hall.

Louise Motte, who held drama classes at Newington for 14 years, described how the children she was teaching, some as young as seven, screamed in terror after a passerby noticed youths outside spraying lighted accelerant across the car.

A member of another group at a meeting in the hall is believed to have alerted police, but Miss Motte claims the police did not arrive.

She believes trouble began last month after she refused to let a group of youths in to one of her classes.

She said: "I’ve had problems with them before, but nothing as serious as this. I came home feeling really upset."

Miss Motte was considering retirement, but she wanted to keep operating the two Newington classes which met every Thursday evening.

"This has caused a lot of upset for the children who have all worked hard towards their exams and done very well," she added.

One parent upset at the forced closure is Debbie French, of Denbigh Close, Milton Regis, whose seven-year-old daughter Sarah started there six months ago.

Mrs French said: "Sarah really misses it and she was just beginning to come out of herself because the group was giving her such confidence.

"She saw the shouting and swearing outside the hall and the doors had to be locked while the children were inside. Miss Motte continued as long as she could but had to close because she had the safety of the children uppermost in her mind.

"The problems were gradually getting worse. My three older children also went there and the group really helped develop their confidence as well."

Miss Motte said Newington village hall, off the High Street offers excellent stage and lighting. She looked at another alternative local venue, but she discovered that had also been plagued by yobs.

Ward Cllr John Wright said he had not heard about the arson attack, but three cars had been damaged by fire in the village during the summer.

"With anti-social behaviour, like most large villages and towns, it’s a very small element that is disruptive. We have a community warden, but it is obviously very difficult to have someone there all the time," he said.

He added: "I feel very sorry for Miss Motte. She was trying to do to something active within the community."

He urged anyone seeing crime or vandalism to report it to either Swale Police or the community warden.

Insp Evan Jones of Swale Police said: "Police have not received a report of this nature in the Newington area on the night in question. We take attempted arson extremely seriously and would urge people to contact police if they experience anti-social behaviour.

"The Sittingbourne Neighbourhood Team will take action against this sort of behaviour, however, we will be unable to help if incidents go unreported."